JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Notre Dame baseball team took a 19-6 win in seven innings in game one but fell in an 8-1 contest in the series finale against North Florida on Saturday.
The host Ospreys got on the scoreboard first in the opener with three runs in the bottom of the first. After a scoreless second inning, the Irish broke through in the top of the third with a four-run outburst. Bino Watters and Estevan Moreno each hit a single, and Carson Tinney drove in Watters with a single of his own. Parker Brzustewicz made it four consecutive singles in the inning while driving in Moreno on his first career hit. Jayce Lee laced a single to load the bases, and Nick DeMarco drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Tinney. A fielder’s choice by Brady Gumpf then put the Irish ahead as Gumpf drove in Brzustewicz on the play.
North Florida drew even with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. DJ Helwig wrung up a strikeout looking with bases loaded to prevent the Ospreys from gaining a lead.
The momentum of the game turned for good in the top of the sixth inning when the Irish scored ten runs on five hits for a commanding 14-4 lead. Notre Dame sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning and scored seven of their ten runs with two outs gone in the inning. Estevan Moreno had a double and a grand slam in the sixth, Carson Tinney drove in a pair with a single, Parker Brzustewicz had an RBI double, and Nick DeMarco laced an RBI single. Noah Coy and Bino Watters, meanwhile, each collected an RBI after drawing walks with bases loaded.
North Florida plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Irish responded immediately in the top of the seventh. Brzustewicz led off with a single, and Jared Zimbardo followed suit with a single. Gumpf moved the pair up 90 feet with a deep fly out. Brzustewicz then scored on a wild pitch for the Irish. DM Jefferson then drove in Zimbardo with an RBI single. After Coy drew a walk, Bino Watters blasted the first home run of his collegiate career to put the Irish ahead 19-6.
The Ospreys put a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Kellan Klosterman used a pair of strikeouts to close out the game by the 19-6 final score in a run-rule shortened seven-inning win. Bino Watters went 3-for-3 with a three-run home run, four runs scored, four RBI, and three walks in the opener. Estevan Moreno added three hits with a grand slam, a double, four RBI, and three runs scored. Parker Brzustewicz collected three hits, including a double, and scored three runs while driving in two. Jayce Lee and Carson Tinney each picked up a pair of hits, and Tinney registered three RBI and two runs.
Jackson Dennies struck out three over 4.0 innings with a no decision in the start. Justin Mayes struck out a batter in his season debut, and DJ Helwig fanned three batters over 1.2 innings of work while garnering the win in relief. Kellan Klosterman closed out the game by striking out all three batters he faced in the seventh.
The 19 runs marks the most by an Irish squad under John P. and Catherine Murphy Head Coach Shawn Stiffler.
Dylan Heine forced North Florida into stranding a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second with a two-out strikeout. The Irish then took the lead in the top of the third inning. Nick DeMarco and Noah Coy both reached on errors. A fielder’s choice by Bino Watters put runners on the corners, and Parker Brzustewicz drove in DeMarco with a sacrifice fly to center field.
North Florida countered with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Irish had chances in the fourth, fifth, and sixth by getting runners on base, but Notre Dame was unable to get the needed timely hit to drive in a run. The Ospreys, meanwhile, plated five runs in the bottom of the seventh to gain an 8-1 advantage.
The Irish continued to battle and put on the pressure late. Moreno was hit by a pitch, and Zimbardo singled through the right side of the infield. Back-t0-back outs, however, halted the scoring chance. The Irish were unable to generate a ninth-inning comeback and fell by the 8-1 margin to close out the weekend.
Jared Zimbardo went 3-for-4 at the plate, and Parker Brzustewicz had a hit and drove in a run in the nightcap. Bino Watters added a hit for the Irish, and Nick DeMarco scored a run.
Dylan Heine went 3.1 with five strikeouts on the mound. Chase Van Ameyde struck out six – including all three outs of the fifth inning – in 3.1 innings of work. Sammy Cooper and Jack Walker each registered a strikeout in relief.
The Irish (2-1) return to Florida next weekend to take on Iowa, UMBC, and host Stetson from February 21-23.