SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame baseball team posted an 11-1 win over Eastern Michigan in eight innings in the team’s home opener on Tuesday evening at Frank Eck Stadium.
The Eagles plated a run in the top of the third, but the Irish quickly responded in their at-bats in the bottom half of the inning. Mason Barth led off with a single, and Dylan Passo belted a double down the right field line. Brandon Logan used a groundout to drive in Barth for the first Irish run of the inning. After a pair of walks, Mark Quatrani was hit by a pitch to drive in a run to put the Irish up 2-1. Bino Watters then punched a single through the right side to drive in Noah Coy and Drew Berkland for a 4-1 advantage. Jayce Lee drew a walk, and Parker Brzustewicz lofted a single to shallow right field to give Notre Dame a 5-1 lead. A bases-loaded walk by Barth in his second plate appearance of the inning extended the lead to 6-1, and Dylan Passo drove in Jayce Lee with a sacrifice fly for the home side to make it 7-1.
Xavier Hirsch made quick work of the Eagles in the top of the fourth by retiring the side in order. Hirsch added another three-up, three-down effort in the top of the fifth. Jayce Lee led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple off of the base of the right field wall, and Parker Brzustewicz used a sacrifice fly to score Lee for an 8-1 lead.
The Irish tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth when Brandon Logan scored on a groundout by Mark Quatrani.
Will Jaisle entered the game in relief in the top of the sixth and struck out the side. In the bottom half of the inning, Brandon Logan drew a lead-off walk before Drew Berkland singled through the right side.
Eastern Michigan put a pair of runners on base, but Chase Van Ameyde dialed up back-to-back strikeouts looking to retire the Eagles and keep the score at 9-1 in favor of the Irish.
Andrew Graham drew a two-out, pinch-hit walk in the bottom of the eighth, and Jayce Lee added his second triple of the game to drive in Graham from first base for the 10-1 lead. Parker Brzustewicz drew a walk, and Mason Barth delivered a full-count single to right field to drive in Lee for the game-ending run for the 11-1 victory in eight innings.
Aiden Zerr went 2.1 innings with the start. Xavier Hirsch picked up the win in relief after going 3.1 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three. Will Jaisle had a perfect inning of work with three strikeouts, and Chase Van Ameyde added two strikeouts in an inning of work. Garrett Snyder had a strikeout while throwing a complete inning in relief.
Jayce Lee went 2-for-4 with three runs, an RBI and two triples on the night. Mason Barth was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Drew Berkland, Bino Watters and Dylan Passo each had a hit and scored a run. Watters drove in a pair, and Passo notched an RBI. Parker Brzustewicz tallied a hit and two RBIs. Noah Coy, Mark Quatrani and Brandon Logan each scored once.
The Irish (7-3) open up ACC play on Friday as they make the trip to Durham to face Duke for a three-game series. Game one is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. ET.