CLEMSON, S.C. – The Notre Dame baseball team led from start to finish in a 7-3 win over No. 10 ranked Clemson on Sunday afternoon.
The Irish jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first in a big way. Jared Zimbardo blasted a lead-off solo home run the opposite way to get things going while collecting his 200th career hit. Bino Watters drew a walk and moved to second on a failed pick-off attempt. Two batters later, Estevan Moreno added a two-run shot to left field to put Notre Dame ahead 3-0. Carson Tinney drew a walk, and Jayce Lee was hit by a pitch as the Tigers made a pitching change. Nick DeMarco worked a full count before drawing a walk to load the bases before the inning came to a close with the Irish ahead 3-0.
The Irish used a 4-6-3 double play, and Rory Fox dialed up a strikeout to end the first. Rory Fox struck out the first batter of the second inning and induced a soft pop up in foul territory for Nick DeMarco with runners on first and second to record the second out of the stanza. Fox then sat down the third out of the inning with his second strikeout of the frame to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.
Another double play by the Notre Dame defense gave the Irish two outs, and Rory Fox used his fourth strikeout of the contest to move things ahead to the fourth inning.
Nick DeMarco drew a lead-off walk, and DM Jefferson put down a sacrifice bunt to move DeMarco to second. An excuse-me swing followed by an error saw Jared Zimbardo reach safely. Zimbardo stole second, and a grounder to the first baseman by Bino Watters drove in DeMarco for the 4-0 lead. Parker Brzustewicz bounced a single up the middle to drive in Zimbardo to put the Irish ahead 5-0.
The game was halted due to lightning in the area for approximately 26 minutes. The Tigers plated a run in the bottom of the fourth, but a slow grounder was easily handled by Brzustewicz for the third out to force Clemson into stranding a pair of runners on base.
Chase Van Ameyde came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth for the Irish and retired the lead-off batter with a three-pitch strikeout. The freshman right-hander added a second strikeout two batters later. Van Ameyde closed the door on the Tigers with a two-out strikeout with a pair of runners on base to preserve the 5-1 lead through five complete.
DM Jefferson drew a lead-off walk and stole second base to get into scoring position quickly. Jared Zimbardo punched a single through the left side, and Jefferson came around from second to score to put the Irish ahead 6-1. Parker Brzustewicz drew a full-count walk while Bino Watters moved to second with an out gone. Estevan Moreno was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Irish. Watters then came in to score on a wild pitch for a 7-1 advantage midway through the sixth.
Chase Van Ameyde picked up his fourth strikeout of the game, and a 5-4-3 double play by the Irish defense made quick work of the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With a pair of runners on base, Brady Gumpf made a big catch at the wall in left field for the first out of the inning in the seventh. The Tigers, however, pushed a pair of runs across to make it a 7-3 game heading into the eighth.
Bino Watters went the other way for a single before Parker Brzustewicz drew a walk to put a pair on base as the Tigers made their sixth pitching change of the contest. Notre Dame was unable to add to their lead, however, as Clemson got back-to-back outs to end the top of the inning.
The Notre Dame defense locked down on Clemson in the eighth as Tobey McDonough and the Irish defense forced the Tigers into stranding a runner. McDonough opened the bottom of the ninth with a strikeout before inducing a fly out to center field for the second out of the frame.
Rory Fox went four complete with five strikeouts while scattering six hits. Chase Van Ameyde went 2.1 on the mound and earned the win after an effective relief performance as the freshman struck out four. Ricky Reeth added a strikeout in 1.1 on the mound, and Tobey McDonough closed out the final 1.1 with two strikeouts and did not allow a hit.
Jared Zimbardo posted his 200th career hit after going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. Estevan Moreno added a two-run home run to collect a pair of RBI. Bino Watters posted a hit, an RBI, and scored twice. Nick DeMarco tallied a hit and scored once while drawing two walks. Parker Brzustewicz collected a hit and an RBI. Brady Gumpf had a hit, and DM Jefferson scored once in the victory.
The Irish (11-6, 1-5 ACC) return to South Bend for their first home game of the season on Tuesday when they host Butler at 4:30 p.m.