April 18, 2017
By Michael Scholl
DETROIT, Michigan — The Notre Dame baseball team was up to the big stage on Tuesday night, defeating Central Michigan, 8-3, at Detroit’s Comerica Park.
Charlie Vorsheck was outstanding in his first career start, getting the victory after going 5.2 innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run with six strikeouts and a walk.
The Irish used the big inning to build the lead, scoring five in the third and three more in the fourth. The five-spot matched Notre Dame’s biggest inning of the year, with previous five-run frames against San Diego State and Georgia Tech.
The first six hitters in the lineup – Nick Podkul, Jake Johnson, Kyle Fiala, Matt Vierling, Ryan Lidge and Cole Daily – all had at least an RBI, with Johnson and Fiala knocking in a pair apiece.
The victory was the 23rd for Notre Dame in a Major League ballpark, where the Irish are now 23-15 all-time. It was just the third such game in the last decade and the first victory since a 2008 win over Northern Illinois at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field.
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Key Innings
Top Third
Notre Dame used a big inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead in the third. Jung and Shepski singled to start the frame before Podkul knocked in the first run with another single. Johnson was called upon to bunt and laid a down a beauty down the first-base line, beating it out for a single. Fiala walked to score a run before Vierling singled in another through the right side. The first out of the inning was a sacrifice fly to deep right-center by Lidge. Daily then got the second bunt single of the inning to score Fiala and make it 5-0. With two on and one out, Power smashed a liner, but right at the second baseman who then stepped on the bag to double-up Vierling and end the frame.
Top Fourth
The Irish added on in the fourth thanks to the bat of Jake Johnson. With one out, Shepski and Podkul delivered consecutive singles. Johnson then shot a double into the right-field corner to score both runners. Johnson then moved up on a wild pitch, then Vierling popped it up in shallow right field. The right fielder made a sliding catch and Johnson sprinted home to make it 8-0.
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On Deck
The Irish return to Frank Eck Stadium on Wednesday night, playing host to Illinois State. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m., with the game available on ACC Network Extra, WatchND and 103.1 FM.
— ND —
Michael Scholl joined Fighting Irish Media in August 2016, coordinating communications for the baseball program and assisting with the football team at his alma mater. The South Bend native earned a degree in political science from the College of Arts & Letters in 2009 before going on to work in athletics communications at Providence College, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.