ATLANTA, Georgia – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6) finished the day 1-1 against Georgia Tech (13-3) in the Saturday doubleheader that decided the first conference series of the season. The Yellow Jackets took home the first game of the day, which was the second game of the series, in a 15-2 victory at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Irish responded with their best offensive outing of the entire season, putting 17 runs on the board and recording 16 hits in the final game of the series.
GAME ONE
While the Irish struggled to find the strike zone, the Yellow Jackets were hot from the plate, bringing in nine runs in the first three innings. Radek Birkholz started on the mound for Notre Dame, but Sammy Cooper, Ryan Lynch, and Rory Fox, would each take the bump in the first three innings to try and slow down the Georgia Tech offense.
The Fighting Irish scored their first run of the day in the top of the third after Estevan Moreno singled up the middle and was sent home from an RBI double down the right field line from Jack Penney.
The Yellow Jackets would tack on another two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead 11-1 and wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the seventh. Caden Spivey made his debut on the mound in the bottom of the fourth, striking out his very first batter faced. Spivey allowed only one hit and gave up no runs in his two innings pitched.
Georgia Tech recorded another four runs across the seventh and eighth inning, making it a 15-1 ballgame heading into the ninth. The Irish would score one more run in the first game of the day, as Tony Lindwedel ran home on fly out to left field to score his first run of the season.
GAME TWO
Notre Dame was ready to go to start the second game, striking early in the first inning. Zack Prajzner started the Irish offense with a double to left field, followed by a base hit from Brooks Coetzee. Nick Juaire reached first after being hit by a pitch and it was bases loaded for the Irish. Jack Zyska was walked in his first at bat of the game, which scored Prajzner and put Notre Dame on the board 1-0.
Jack Penney stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs and crushed a ball down the right field line for a grand slam. Penney’s second home run of the season scored Coetzee, Juaire, and Zyska to give the Irish the 5-0 advantage after one.
Leading 5-2 heading into the third, Carter Putz led off and started the inning with his first home run of the season with a 418’ homer to deep center field. Juaire followed with a base hit to left field and scored on an RBI double from Penny, his fifth RBI of the game.
Jackson Dennies started on the mound for the Irish, pitching 2.2 innings, throwing three strikeouts, and giving up three runs. Dennies would give up one run in the bottom of the third before he was relieved by Aidan Tyrell, who finished with a game-high five strikeouts. Tyrell allowed no runs and only gave two hits across four innings pitched.
Notre Dame brought home two more runs in the top of the fourth, with an RBI single up the middle from Prajzner to score TJ Williams and a sac bunt from Juaire to score Coetzee. The Irish led 10-3 after four.
After a scoreless fifth, Coetzee doubled to left center and Juaire would record his second RBI of the day to score Coetzee on a single to center field. The Irish followed with another five-run inning in the top of the seventh, which gave them the 15-3 lead over the Yellow Jackets.
Vinny Martinez got the ball rolling with a 434’ rocket out to left field, his first homerun of the season with the Irish. Notre would tack on two more runs as Moreno scored on a balk and Williams scored on a wild pitch. Prajzner and Coetzee both reached after each were hit by a pitch and it was Putz back up to the plate. Putz doubled to center field and scored Prajzner, followed by a Juaire groundout RBI to score Coetzee.
Penney recorded another base hit to start the ninth and after Williams reached on a HBP, the Irish were in scoring position again. Prajzner singled through the left side for his second RBI as he scored Penney. Coetzee reached via a walk to make it bases loaded. Connor Hincks followed with a walk as well to score Williams.
The Irish would give up one run in the bottom of the eighth and after a scoreless ninth, Notre Dame would take the win 17-4.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back in action on Tuesday, March 14, and Wednesday, March 15, in Holly Springs, NC at Ting Stadium for two neutral site games against Saint Joseph’s.