CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The No. 4 seed Notre Dame baseball team (35-14) saw its run Charlotte end as it fell to No. 8 seed North Carolina (37-19), 7-2, in the semifinals Saturday afternoon at Truist Field. It was a back-and-forth affair as the teams traded leads over the first six innings. The Tar Heels used a big eighth inning to pull ahead for good and advance to the championship game on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
North Carolina got the scoring starting in the top half of the second. The Tar Heels loaded the bases and the Irish tried to turn two to end the inning but were unable to secure the second out. Madej scored on the play for the Tar Heels and they led 1-0 after two.
The Irish got in on the action in the bottom of third to tie things up. Jack Brannigan hit a solo shot over the picnic area in left to level the score. It was his ninth home run of the season and the score was tied 1-1 after three.
The Tar Heels were threatening to take the lead back in the fifth with runners on the corners and just one out. Alex Rao came on from the pen and promptly got the Irish out of the jam. He struck out one looking and forced a fly out to right to end the inning and end the Tar Heel threat.
The Irish carried the momentum into the bottom of the fifth as they took their first lead of the game. Carter Putz hit a solo blast to left center for his sixth home run of the season and put the Irish up 2-1 after five.
The lead did not last long as the Tar Heels tied it up in the top of the sixth. A double down the line in left scored a run and evened the game at 2-2 after six.
North Carolina regained the lead in the top of the eighth. They scored three runs in the inning and took a 5-2 lead. The Tar Heels added two more in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame turns its attention to the NCAA Selection Show set for Monday afternoon. The Irish will find their postseason fate at Noon ET as the show will be aired nationally on ESPN2.
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