BLACKSBURG, Va. – Notre Dame (9-4) dropped the second game of the series to Virginia Tech (10-3) Saturday, 10-5. The Irish made a late comeback to come within one of the Hokies, but a scoring surge by Virginia Tech pushed the game out of Notre Dame’s reach.
At the plate, OF/DH Brady Gumpf set a career-high Saturday with two doubles and tied a career-high with two RBI. Both OF David Glancy and INF Simon Baumgardt hit home runs as part of Notre Dame’s comeback attempt.
On the mound, RHP Tobey McDonough (1-1) shouldered the loss. RHP Rory Fox posted a notable 3.1 innings, giving up just one run and two hits, striking out three. RHP Jackson Dennies entered in the seventh to pitch 1.1 innings, and RHP Will Jacobsen closed out the eighth for the Irish.
INF Connor Hincks made his mark with an impressive unassisted double play in the seventh inning. C Davis Johnson saw his first game action behind the plate, entering for the eighth inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame struck out three times in the first inning, and in the bottom of the inning, Virginia Tech’s leadoff batter took a HBP. A walk placed runners on first and second before a fielder’s choice put the Hokies on first and third. A double steal scored Virginia Tech’s first run, as the runner from first stole second, reaching third on an Irish error. A sac fly plated another for the Hokies before a McDonough strikeout ended the inning.
OF Tito Flores led off the second inning for the Irish, drawing a walk. After an out, DH DM Jefferson singled, placing Flores on third. Jefferson stole second, but two strikeouts left the two on base. In the bottom of the inning, a single and a homer scored two for Virginia Tech. McDonough earned another strikeout, but the Irish entered the third down four.
The Irish struck out twice in the third, and Virginia Tech led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer. After two outs, a HBP and single placed two runners on for the Hokies, as Fox entered and dealt a strikeout to end the inning down 0-5.
Flores delivered a one-out single in the fourth, but was tagged out on a fielder’s choice, and the Irish were unable to score. Fox and the Irish sat the Hokie batters down in order in the fourth, with Fox adding a strikeout.
Notre Dame took two strikeouts at the plate in the fifth. Virginia Tech led off with a double, as the runner stole third. A sac fly scored another for the Hokies, and the Irish went to bat the sixth down six runs.
The Irish opened up their scoring in the sixth. Glancy drew a one-out HBP, and a Hincks single pushed Glancy to second. Flores flew out to place Glancy on third, and Baumgardt walked to load the bases. Gumpf entered at DH and slammed a double to left field, scoring Glancy and Hincks to put Notre Dame on the board.
Fox posted another strikeout in the sixth, as Notre Dame held Virginia Tech scoreless in the inning to enter the seventh down 2-6.
With two outs in the seventh, INF Jack Penney singled. Glancy followed with a 476-foot home run to score both and bring the Irish within two. Dennies entered to pitch the seventh, and with runners on first and third, Hincks snagged a lineout at first and tagged the base for an unassisted double play. Dennies forced a flyout to end the inning, leaving Virginia Tech scoreless in the seventh.
Baumgardt led off the eighth with a solo homer, and Gumpf recorded his second double of the game, reaching third on a groundout, but was unable to get home before two strikeouts ended the inning. After a Dennies strikeout, the Hokies sent two-consecutive solo homers to extend the lead. After a single, Jacobsen entered to pitch. The Hokies plated two more runs on wild pitches.
Penney led off the ninth with a single, and was pushed to second and third on two groundouts, but was unable to score on a final groundout.
UP NEXT
The Irish and the Hokies return to English Field for the series finale Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The game was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. but has been adjusted. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.