SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-11) dropped the three-game series at Frank Eck this weekend as they fell to No. 13 North Carolina (20-8) in games one and two of the series. Looking for redemption after a tough loss to the Tar Heels on Friday night, the Irish fell 5-2 in the first game of day, but were able to take home the final game in a 9-1 victory on the home turf.
GAME ONE
It was a slow start to game one as the Irish and Tar Heels were both held scoreless in the first four innings of the day. Left-handed starter Jack Findlay recorded his fifth and sixth strikeout of the day in the top of the fifth, but North Carolina would tack on two runs in the inning to take a 2–0 lead over the Irish. The Tar Heels recorded their third run of the day on a lead-off home run to start the sixth and extended their lead 3-0.
Caden Spivey relieved Findlay to start the sixth and as the Irish went three up, three down in the seventh, Spivey recorded his second and third strikeouts of the day.
In the bottom of the seventh, Brooks Coetzee singled to third base to get the offense rolling for the Irish. Vinny Martinez stepped up to the plate and launched it to deep left field to put the Irish on the board and close the gap to 3-2.
The Tar Heels would add on two more runs in the top of the ninth and after a scoreless frame for the Irish, North Carolina would take the series win in 5-2 victory in game one of the doubleheader.
GAME TWO
The Irish bats were hot in the final game of the weekend series, as the Irish recorded three home runs and scored five of their nine runs off of homers in the second game of the Sunday doubleheader.
The Irish offense struck early as they posted an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Penney recorded a base hit and was scored off of a home run to left center from Carter Putz, his fifth homer of the season.
Penney was back up to the plate in the top of the third where he recorded his fifth home run of the season as well, launching it deep over the left field fence. Brooks Coetzee recorded a base hit and RBI in the third to extend the Irish lead to 4-0 before Vinny Martinez sent his second home run of the day into deep left field. Martinez’s fourth home run of the year gave the Irish the 6-0 advantage heading into the fourth.
Jackson Dennies was relieved by Aidan Tyrell in the fourth after starting on the mound for the Irish and pitching 4.2 innings. Dennies recorded a career-high seven strikeouts, allowing only two hits and giving up no runs and walking no batters.
The Irish tacked on three more runs in the fifth as Putz led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left field. Coetzee would reach after being hit by a pitch and with Martinez up to the plate, both Putz and Coetzee would steal to put runners on second and third. Martinez reached on a fielding error and it was DM Jefferson up to bat with bases loaded. Jefferson doubled to left center and recorded two RBI as he scored Putz and Coetzee and extended the Irish lead to 8-0. A base hit from Moreno scored Martinez and Notre Dame led 9-0.
After scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh, the Tar Heels recorded their only run of the day on a solo home run to center field in the top of the eighth. The Irish held North Carolina scoreless in the top of the ninth to take home the 9-1 victory.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back in action on Tuesday against Northwestern at Frank Eck at 5:30 PM. Notre Dame hits the road to resume ACC play against Pitt for a three-game series starting on Thursday, April 6.