April 4, 2018
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Alex Kerschner had a career night for the Irish in the baseball team’s 18-4 victory over Chicago State on Tuesday at Frank Eck Stadium.
Kerschner, who drove in a career-high five runs, led Notre Dame’s (12-16) offense on a night when it produced its largest output of the season with 18 runs. For Chicago State (5-20), the loss marks its 19th in its last 20 games.
How It Happened
Cole Daily led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jake Johnson. Nick Podkul walked and Matt Vierling reached on a fly ball dropped by the center fielder, allowing Daily to score and give the Irish a 1-0 lead. Niko Kavadas‘ 10-pitch at-bat ended in a walk to load the bases, and Alex Kerschner delivered a two-run single to extend the lead to 3-0. Eric Gilgenbach stepped up to bat next and connected for a sacrifice fly to drive in Kavadas and make the score 4-0.
Chicago State got on the board in the third inning, smashing a two-run homer to left field to cut the deficit in half.
The Irish responded in the bottom half of the inning, when Kerschner knocked an RBI-triple to left center with nobody out in the inning. Gilgenbach and Daniel Jung hit back-to-back singles to drive in another run, and David LaManna‘s groundout brought home Gilgenbach to extend the lead to 7-2.
Podkul walked in the fourth and moved to second on a single from Vierling. Kerschner drove in both Podkul and Vierling with a double to left center, making the score 9-2.
Chicago State’s Cody Freund walked, and Tyler Zunkel singled in the fifth inning. Matt Paciello, who had already homered in the game, doubled to right to drive in Freund. Zunkel scored on a wild pitch by Anthony Holubecki, but the Irish still led, 9-4.
Bryce Gray pinch hit for LaManna and delivered a single to lead off the Irish fifth. Daily singled and stole second, and Chicago State’s throw allowed Gray to score from third. Notre Dame added a second run in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Podkul, who made the score 11-4.
With two outs in the sixth, Gray was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double from Daily. Johnson walked to load the bases for Podkul, who reached on an error that cleared the bases and increased the Irish lead to 14-4.
A single and a walk from Spencer Myers and Ryan Cole opened the bottom of the seventh. Jung delivered an RBI-single, and Daily followed a few batters later with a sacrifice fly to make the score 16-4.
In the eighth inning, Gray added a two-run double that extended Notre Dame’s lead to 18-4, ultimately securing the victory.
Player of the Game
Alex Kerschner finished the game just a home run shy of the cycle, driving in a career-high five runs for the Irish. Kerschner’s three hits equaled a career high and marked his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
Kerschner extended his hitting streak to eight games and has hit .423 (11-26) with four doubles and a triple.
Game Notes
- Notre Dame owns a 33-1 record all-time against Chicago State and has gone 32-1 at home.
- Notre Dame’s 18 runs were its most since scoring 19 in a win over Purdue on February 19, 2011 as part of the BIG EAST-Big Ten Baseball Challenge.
- The Irish scored two or more runs in seven different innings.
- Cameron Brown worked 4.1 innings, allowing four runs while striking out six.
- Anthony Holubecki earned his first win of the season after working 1.2 scoreless innings.
- Over the last five games, Notre Dame starting pitchers own a 3.03 ERA (10 ER/29.2 IP).
- The Irish bullpen threw 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.
- Alex Kerschner has recorded a hit in eight straight games and in 14 of his last 17 games.
Up Next
Notre Dame competes against the South Bend Cubs in an exhibition game at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Four Winds Field. The game will be available on 103.1 FM (South Bend)/WatchND.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the Irish baseball program, follow @NDBaseball on Twitter and @NotreDameBaseball on Instagram. For tickets to an Irish baseball game, click here.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame baseball and women’s soccer programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.