May 1, 2018
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — On an 80-degree day at Frank Eck Stadium, the University of Notre Dame baseball team defeated Western Michigan, 14-4, in an offensive outburst.
Notre Dame (21-24) received a gem of an outing from both Tommy Sheehan and Zack Martin, helping it top Western Michigan (18-19) in its final midweek home game of the season.
How It Happened
Notre Dame got off to an early lead in the first inning, when Nick Podkul and Matt Vierling connected for back-to-back two-out homers to put the Irish ahead, 2-0.
Niko Kavadas added to the Irish lead in the second, when he belted his fourth homer of the season to make the score 3-0.
Western Michigan opened its scoring in the fourth inning, when it hit back-to-back doubles into center field. Cooper Marshall’s 12th double of the season allowed Nate Grys to score from second and cut the Irish lead to 3-1.
Kavadas was back at it in the fourth with his second hit of the day, a single to right. Then, Eric Gilgenbach followed with a bomb to left field that made the score 5-1 in favor of the Irish.
Vierling knocked a base hit into center to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and Alex Kerschner then reached on an error by the shortstop. Niko Kavadas sent his third hit of the day into center, singling home Vierling and giving the Irish a 6-1 advantage. With nobody out, Gilgenbach hit into a double play, allowing Kerschner to score.
In the seventh, Cole Daily walked to open the frame, and Jake Johnson reached courtesy of a bunt single with nobody out in the inning. Podkul walked to load the bases for Kerschner, who capitalized with a two-run single to make it a 9-1 ballgame. Kavadas walked to reload the bases for Gilgenbach, and the right fielder drew a walk to score Notre Dame’s 10th run. Daniel Jung collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly to right.
In the following inning, Ryan Cole pinch hit and walked for the Irish. Podkul laced a double to center, and Vierling recorded his third hit with a two-run single to make it 13-1. Spencer Myers joined the hit parade with a pinch-hit RBI-single that scored Vierling and made it 14-1.
Western Michigan added three runs in the ninth off Anthony Holubecki, but the Broncos were unable to rally all the way back in a 14-4 loss to the Irish.
Player of the Game
Niko Kavadas finished the night 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and two RBI. Kavadas has now hit safely in four straight games.
Stat of the Game
Notre Dame’s four home runs mark its most since it hit five at No. 2 NC State on April 13. The four homers hit by the Irish today were the same four players to collect five total home runs in the win over the Wolfpack.
Game Notes
- Notre Dame moves to 71-66-1 all-time against Western Michigan and owns a 49-33 mark at home against the Broncos.
- The Irish own a 11-8 record at home in 2018.
- Starter Tommy Sheehan worked 4.0 innings, allowing one run and striking out two.
- Notre Dame belted back-to-back homers for the fourth time this season in the first inning, when Nick Podkul and Matt Vierling connected for solo homers.
- The Irish tallied double-digit runs for the fifth time this season and the first time since it topped No. 2 NC State 12-8 on April 13.
- Jake Johnson owns an 18-game on-base streak during which he is batting .344 (22-64) with 14 walks, 11 runs scored and seven RBI.
- Alex Kerschner has hit safely in six of his last eight games, going 9-26 (.346) over that span.
Up Next
Notre Dame celebrates its senior class over the weekend, when it plays host to Pittsburgh for its final home series of the season. The Irish and the Panthers will open play at 6:05 p.m. ET on Friday at Frank Eck Stadium. All three games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and aired on 103.1 FM (South Bend)/WatchND.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the Irish baseball program, follow @NDBaseball on Twitter and @NotreDameBaseball on Instagram. For tickets to an Irish baseball game, click here.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame baseball and women’s soccer programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.