SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior right-handed pitcher Jack Radel struck out eight, allowed just four singles and did not surrender a walk on his way to a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 Irish win over No. 19 Clemson on Friday night.
Jack Radel used a trio of strikeouts after facing four batters in the top of the first to retire the side in the opening frame. The Irish got out of a jam in the top of the second. The Tigers put their first two batters aboard on a pair of hits. Jamie Zee jumped up to snag a grounder and turned a double play, and Radel used a strikeout to end the inning.
Mason Barth drilled the second pitch of his at-bat over the center-field fence for a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third.
The Irish forced the Tigers into stranding a runner in the top of the fourth, and Notre Dame added to the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Bino Watters reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced on a throwing error. A single by Parker Brzustewicz drove in Watters from second for a 2-0 Irish advantage.
Jack Radel struck out the first two batters of the top of the sixth and induced a ground out to Mason Barth at second base to quickly retire the side. Radel added another three-up, three-down inning in the seventh, and the Irish gave the junior righty some big run support in the bottom of the inning. Parker Brzustewicz drew a lead-off walk, and Davis Johnson put down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Jayce Lee had an infield single beat at first, and a throwing error on the play allowed Brzustewicz to score. Mason Barth was hit by a pitch, and Jamie Zee drilled a homer well clear of the right field fence to put the Irish ahead 6-0.
Radel continued to roll with a one-two-three eighth with a great play at first by Brzustewicz, a strikeout and a fly out to Watters in left to retire the side.
The Tigers got their first hit since the second inning with a lead-off single in the top of the ninth. Radel induced a flyout before a pair of ground outs closed out the game and the win for the junior righty in a 6-0 victory.
Jamie Zee had a three-run home run and Mason Barth added a solo home run and scored twice to help pace the Irish offense. Parker Brzustewicz had a hit, an RBI and scored a run. Jayce Lee tallied a hit and scored once, and Drew Berkland posted a hit for the Irish.
Jack Radel went nine complete on the bump with his first collegiate complete-game shutout. Radel had eight strikeouts, zero walks and scattered four singles over his outing. He needed 117 pitches to earn the first Irish nine-inning complete game shutout since June 4, 2021 (John Michael Bertrand vs. Central Michigan).
The Irish (12-7, 4-3 ACC) face No. 19 Clemson on Saturday for game two of the three-game series starting at 2:00 p.m. at Frank Eck Stadium.