SOUTH BEND, IN – The Fighting Irish are just under two weeks away from opening day as they prepare for their 131st season of Notre Dame Baseball and their 53-game regular-season slate under John P. and Catherine Murphy Head Coach Shawn Stiffler.
Stiffler is in his first season with the Irish and comes to South Bend after spending the last 10 seasons at the helm of the VCU program. He was a monumental piece in VCU’s success where he turned the Rams into one of the most consistent programs in the country, as it is one of just seven programs nationally to earn 34 or more wins in each of the last eight full seasons.
Stiffler looks to continue the upward trajectory of the Notre Dame Baseball program as the Irish finished the 2022 season with a 41-17 overall record while making the program’s third trip to Omaha for the College World Series after the upset win against No. 1 Tennessee in the Super Regionals. For the first time in program history, the Irish reached the Super Regional round in consecutive seasons as well as surpassed the 40-win plateau for the first time since 2006.
The Irish are returning several players who helped guide the team on their historic run last season. Graduate students Carter Putz, Zack Prajzner, Jack Zyska, and Brooks Coetzee all return to the field for the Irish.
Putz started all 58 games and was a piece of Notre Dame’s success last season. He also led the team in hits (81) and runs (55) and was second on the squad in doubles (13) and batting average (.339). Putz’s 81 hits were the most hits in a single season since 2013 when World Series Champion Trey Mancini had 89 hits on the year.
Prajzner returns to the Irish after starting all 58 games and setting career highs in runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs last season. He was also fourth on the team in hits and runs as he finished with 44 runs and 58 hits. Prajzner was named to the 2022 Statesboro Regional All-Tournament Team after hitting the game-tying home run in the 6-4 win over No. 22 Georgia Southern to advance to the Statesboro Regional Championship.
Both Putz and Prajzner were also recognized by Perfect Game as two of the top 50 seniors in the country heading into the 2023 season.
Zyska made 38 starts on the season and was a big piece of the Super Regional win over No. 1 Tennessee as he hit one of four home runs in the 8-6 win over the Volunteers in game one and set a career-high four hits against Tennessee in game two. He finished with 34 runs, 45 hits, 12 doubles, 13 home runs, and seven stolen bases.
Coetzee started all 58 games and had a big year with the Irish as he set career highs in runs (42), hits (59), home runs (12), and RBI (43). He finished second on the team in home runs and was one of three Irish players to hit double-digit home runs last season as the Irish set the program record for home runs in a single season with 79 homers.
Graduate student Aidan Tyrell and sophomore Jack Findlay both return to the mound for Notre Dame. Tyrell made 26 appearances and had five starts for the Irish as he finished the year with a 3.75 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and a 5-2 record with two saves through 48.0 innings pitched.
Findlay capped off his freshman season as a pivotal piece of Notre Dame’s postseason success. He made 20 appearances, including eight starts, but was recognized as a big-time closer for the Irish. Findlay led the Irish in ERA and saves, was second in wins and third on the team in innings pitched after finishing the 2022 season with a 2.17 ERA, 54 strikeouts, and 6-2 record with four saves through 49.2 innings. Findlay was named a 2022 Perfect Game Second Team Freshman All-American and a 2022 Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. At the beginning of this year, Findlay was also recognized by Perfect Game as one of the top 50 sophomores in the country.
The Irish also have 14 newcomers, featuring 10 freshmen and four grad transfers. David Lally Jr., of Grand Blanc, Michigan, is predicted to be a force on the mound as he helped guide his high school to a 2021 State Championship, is a two-time Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American and was recognized this year as one of the top 100 freshmen in the country by Perfect Game.
Blake Hely is a grad transfer that joined the Irish this fall after spending four years at Davidson. He was another Notre Dame player recognized by Perfect Game this year as one of the top 50 impact transfers in the nation. Hely was a weekend starter for the Wildcats, appearing in and starting 15 games with a 3.80 ERA and a 9-2 record after leading Davidson in 2022 with 85.1 innings pitched.
The Irish open their 53-game schedule in Nashville, Tennessee, with a three-game series against Lipscomb on Feb. 17-19. The 2023 schedule features 21 games against teams in last year’s tournament field of 64, 30 ACC games, as well as 25 home games at Frank Eck and 28 road games. The Irish will also play at Fenway Park in their final road series of the regular season as they take on Boston College on Friday, May 19 for the Eagles’ annual ALS Awareness Game.