SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took home the series over No. 8 Virginia in their first sweep of the year as they downed the Cavaliers in the Sunday doubleheader on April 23 at Frank Eck Stadium. Notre Dame recorded a season-high 17 hits in the first game of the day as they took down the Cavaliers 10-2. The completed sweep was capped off with a 5-4 win in the second game of the day and final win of the series.
GAME ONE
The Irish were able to take an early 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first as Carter Putz put the Irish on the board with his sixth home run of the year as he sent it to deep right field. He was followed by Jack Penney, who singled up the middle and was sent home on an RBI double to deep left field from DM Jefferson.
Notre Dame would extend their lead to 3-0 in the third as Jack Penney launched the ball to right field with his team-high ninth home run of the season and second of the series. Danny Neri led off in the fourth with a double to right center and was sent home on a Zack Prajzner single up the middle to give the Irish the 4-0 edge.
The Cavaliers would close the gap to two in the top of the sixth as they homered down the right field line for a two-run long ball to make it a 4-2 ballgame. A big bottom frame from the Irish included base hits from Prajzner and Penney as they were scored on a home run from Vinny Martinez, his seventh of the year. His three-run home run extended the Irish lead to 7-2 heading into the seventh inning.
Prajzner would record the fourth Irish home run of the game as he sent it over the left field fence. Notre Dame led 8-2 after seven. The Irish tacked on their final two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Penney doubled and Jefferson and Moreno singled for hits 15, 16, and 17 for Notre Dame. Leading 10-2, the Irish closed the top of the ninth with a 1-6-3 double play and a Mercer strikeout to take home game two.
Blake Hely started on the mound for the Irish and threw a season-high 7.1 innings and recorded a season-high eight strikeouts in his second win of the season. He was relieved by Will Mercer who pitched 1.2 innings and gave up zero runs and zero hits.
GAME TWO
The Cavalier offense struck first as they recorded a run in the top of the second, but the Irish responded with a run of their own as Vinny Martinez led off the bottom frame with a double to center field. Martinez advanced to third on a throwing error and was sent home on a sac fly from DM Jefferson to make it an even 1-1 heading into the third.
Virginia went three up, three down in the top of the third. The Irish capitalized on their offensive frame in the bottom of the inning as Zack Prajzner was scored on an RBI single from Putz to take the lead 2-1.
The Cavaliers regained the lead in the top of the fourth as they homered down the right field to tack on two more runs in the frame. Leading 3-2, a base hit and a double from the Cavaliers in the top of fifth would extend the Virginia lead to 4-2.
The big three-run frame in the bottom of the fifth would allow Notre Dame to take the lead yet again at 5-4. Estevan Moreno and DM Jefferson each recorded base hits and a stolen base, while Martinez tallied his second double of the day and 2 RBI.
Both the Irish and Cavaliers hung zeros the rest of the way as the Irish closed out the game to complete the sweep with the 5-4 victory over No. 8 Virginia.
Carter Bosch made his first start of the year as he pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. He was relieved by Caden Spivey, who took home the win after pitching 4.1 innings, allowing no runs and giving up two hits.
UP NEXT
The Irish hit the road for a midweek matchup at Michigan State on Tuesday, April 25 as the Irish take on the Spartans for the second time this season.