Dugout vs. WF

Irish Continue Spring Break Trip at Western Carolina

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Coming of their ACC opening series win over Wake Forest, the Notre Dame baseball team (6-8, 2-1 ACC) continues its spring break trip with a midweek matchup at Western Carolina (8-5). The Irish and Catamounts will meet for the first time on the baseball diamond and first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 

Notre Dame (6-8, 2-1 ACC) vs. Western Carolina (8-5)
 When:  Wednesday, March 13 | 4:00 p.m. ET
 Where:  Cullowhee, N.C. | Hennon Stadium
 Watch:  ESPN+
 Live Scoring:  WCU Live Stats
 Notes:  Notre Dame
 Social:  @NDBaseball
 @NotreDameBaseball

Know the Opponent: Western Carolina Catamounts

  • In the middle of their spring break road trip, the Irish will make their first ever trip to Cullowhee, North Carolina to face off with Western Carolina.
  • The Catamounts will be just the fourth Southern Conference opponent the Irish have faced and the first since 2015. 
  • Notre Dame defeated Mercer 8-2 on Feb. 28, 2015 en route to winning the Mercer Baseball Classic.
  • The Irish hit four home runs on the day with two from Cavan Biggio and one from Kyle Fiala and Robert Youngdahl. 

Gilgenbach Fuels 9th Inning Rally to Clinch Series

  • With the series on the line in the second game of a doubleheader, the Irish used a late inning rally to clinch the series. 
  • The Irish held a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning before the Demon Deacons ripped off five straight runs and took a three-run lead into the ninth.
  • John Arndorfer kicked it off with a full-count walk and Spencer Myers followed it up with a single to bring the tying run to the plate.
  • Daniel Jung also worked a walk and Carter Putz got a run to the plate after a fielder’s choice. 
  • Niko Kavadas was the third walk of the inning and Eric Gilgenbach stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and a two-run deficit.
  • Gilgenbach took a pitch the other way into right field for a single and scored Spencer Myers and Carter Putz to tie the game.
  • In the 10th, Myers hit a grounder to the shortstop and Brooks Coetzee beat the throw home to regain the lead for the Irish. 
  • Mitch Megias came back out for his second inning of relief to clinch the series and secure his first career win.

Kavadas Powers Irish Past Demon Deacons

  • Similar to the final game of the series, in the opener the Irish needed a late rally to claim the opener against the Demon Deacons.
  • After the weather postponed the game on Friday, the series opener was pushed to Saturday afternoon.
  • On a cold and chilly afternoon, the ball still flew out of David F. Couch Ballpark with five home runs combined between the two teams.
  • Daniel Jung got the Irish started with a solo blast in the fourth inning but the Deacs responded with the next three homers to take a 4-2  lead into the later innings.
  • Facing a one-run deficit in the eighth, Jung and Carter Putz hit back-to-back singles and Niko Kavadas stepped to the place.
  • Kavadas turned on a pitch and sent it over the fence in right to regain the lead for the Irish.
  • Cole Kmet came on for the final two innings and recorded his second save of the season.

–ND–