SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took home their sixth win at home this year as they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats in a 12-0 victory at Frank Eck Stadium on Tuesday, April 4. The Fighting Irish advance to 15-11 on the season as the Wildcats fall to 3-20 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
David Lally Jr. made his third start on the mound for the Irish, throwing his first two strikeouts of the day in the top of the first. Notre Dame would record one hit in the bottom frame, but it would be a scoreless ballgame heading into the second.
A strong second inning, would put the Irish ahead with a 6-0 advantage after recording six hits in the bottom frame. DM Jefferson got the party started with a single up the middle, followed by a hit by pitch from Nick DeMarco.
After the HBP, it was four consecutive base hits for the Irish, as Danny Neri, TJ Williams, Jack Penney, and Zack Prajzner each recorded their first hits of the day. Brooks Coetzee was hit by the pitch for the 21st time this season as he reached first and scored Williams. A Vinny Martinez double to right field scored Penney, Prajzner, and Coetzee as the Irish took the lead 6-0.
The Wildcats recorded two hits in the top of the third, but were held scoreless as Lally closed the frame with his third strikeout of the day.
Neri hit it deep to right field for a triple in the bottom of the fourth, followed by a sac bunt from Williams to score Neri and extend the Irish lead to 7-0. Carter Bosch struck out the side in the top of the fifth as the Irish continued to hold the Wildcats scoreless.
After scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth for both Northwestern and Notre Dame, the Irish recorded their eighth run of the day in the bottom of the sixth as Prajzner scored on a wild pitch.
Penney recorded his sixth home run of the season as he sent it over the left field fence in the seventh frame to score DeMarco and extend the Irish lead 10-0.
After going three up, three down in the top of the eighth, the Irish offense tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Brady Gumpf had a base hit up the middle and was scored by Joey Spence, who recorded his first career home run as he sent it out to deep left field to make it a 12-0 ballgame. The Irish held the Wildcats scoreless in the final frame to take home their 15th win of the season.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back on the road for more ACC play as they head to Pittsburgh, PA to take on Pitt in a three-game series starting Thursday, April 6.