BLACKSBURG, Va. — The third-ranked Notre Dame baseball team put together another impressive pitching performance in the 4-0 win over Virginia Tech Friday night at Atlantic Union Bank Park. The Irish tallied their fourth shutout of the season and clinched their 10th ACC series win of the year.
Aidan Tyrell got the Irish (28-10, 24-10 ACC) rolling on the mound with the first 5.2 innings of the game. He allowed just two hits and three base runners as he was one out short of tying his career high for innings pitched. Tanner Kohlhepp came on in relief and got the Irish out of jams in the seventh and eighth to keep the Hokies (27-22, 16-19 ACC) scoreless. In the ninth, Jack Brannigan took the mound with two runners on and proceeded to strikeout the next three batters to pick up his third save of the season.
At the plate, Ryan Cole put the Irish in front with a two-run home run in the third inning. The Irish added a run in the sixth and one in the ninth which was more than enough of a cushion for the pitching staff. With the series win, the Irish finish the regular season undefeated in road ACC series.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish jumped out in front for the second-straight game in the series and it was the long ball that got them ahead this time. With two outs and a runner on first in the third inning, Cole turned on a fastball and it cleared the wall in left for the two-run homer. It was his fifth home run of the season and Notre Dame took an early 2-0 lead.
Tyrell started strong out of the gate and really frustrated the Hokies at the plate. Through the first five innings Tyrell allowed just two hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter. He set the Hokies down in order in three of the first five innings.
Notre Dame added a run in the sixth and the inning got going after a leadoff double by Spencer Myers. After making his way to third on a balk, he scored on the sacrifice fly to center by Niko Kavadas. Tyrell and Kohlhepp combined to finish the bottom half of the inning and the Irish led 3-0 after six full frames.
The Hokies looked to get something going in the seventh with the first two runners reaching base. Kohlhepp was able to force a liner right at Zack Prajzner who flipped it over to Jared Miller for the double play and the first two outs of the inning. Then Kohlhepp struck out Nick Biddison to end the inning and end the threat with the Irish still ahead 3-0.
Virginia Tech was threatening once again in the eighth inning as they got their first two runners on base to start the inning. Kohlhepp stayed composed on the mound and induced three straight fly-outs to end the inning and keep the Hokies off the scoreboard.
The Irish added a run in the ninth on the ground rule double by Miller. The Hokies left field lost the ball in the lights and after bouncing into the stands, Kavadas came home to score to increase the lead to 4-0.
In the ninth, the Hokies got two runners on again to begin the inning and Brannigan moved from third to the mound. He punched out the final three batters of the game to preserve the shutout and clinch the series for the Irish.
UP NEXT
The Irish will close out the regular season Saturday afternoon against the Hokies for the series finale. Saturday’s game is set for 1 p.m. ET start and will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra. Following the game, Notre Dame will travel south to Charlotte for the 2021 ACC Baseball Championship.
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