NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The 12th-ranked Notre Dame baseball team is back home this weekend as they are set to begin another long stretch of games from the friendly confines of Frank Eck Stadium. Up first is the third straight ranked series as No. 14 Georgia Tech is in town for a three game series. It is the second consecutive Top-15 series at Eck Stadium and the Irish look to keep their momentum going after a road series win over No. 17 Pitt.
Home Sweet Home
- After winning their fourth straight road series on the season, the Irish return home to begin a long stretch of games from Frank Eck Stadium.
- The Irish begin an eight game homestand this weekend and 15 of their next 19 games will be held at Frank Eck Stadium as they finish the regular season home slate.
- On deck for the Irish is another Top-15 series as No. 14 Georgia Tech comes to town for the first time since 2017.
- It is the third straight ranked series for the Irish and four of their last five series have all come against ranked foes.
- Georgia Tech has a slight edge in the all-time series at 11-9 but the Irish are 3-0 in games played in South Bend.
- The last time the two teams played in South Bend was the Yellow Jackets first ever trip here and the Irish came away with a series sweep.
- Georgia Tech enters the weekend with a 14-10 record and 11-7 mark in ACC play.
- They are coming off a home series loss to Virginia last weekend and a midweek loss to USC Upstate this past Tuesday.
Homers Clinch Series Over No. 17 Pitt
- Coming off the game two loss where offense was at a premium, the Irish bats made some noise in the 11-5 win to clinch the series.
- They got rolling in the second inning with a solo home run from Jack Brannigan, his first of the season.
- After a run in the third, the Irish put their first crooked number on the scoreboard with three in the fourth. Zack Prajzner hit a solo homer while Spencer Myers and Danny Neri also scored in the inning.
- The game broke open in the fifth when Notre Dame put five runs up after a two-RBI single from Niko Kavadas and a three-run home run from Carter Putz.
- Myers added to the home run parade in the seventh with a solo home run for the fourth homer of the game for the Irish.
- It is the first time since May 1, 2018 against Western Michigan that the Irish have had four home runs in a game.
- Tanner Kohlhepp picked up his second win of the season in relief.
- With the series win the Irish recorded their fifth ACC series win on the year, the most by any team in the conference so far.
- The Irish scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the second time in a rubber match of a series.
Putz, Kavadas Lead Irish To Series-Opening Win
- The middle of the Irish lineup got the Irish rolling in the series opener against No. 17 Pitt.
- After three scoreless innings, Carter Putz led the fourth inning off with a solo shot to center to open the scoring.
- Two batters later, Niko Kavadas was at it again with his 11th home run of the season to double the lead.
- With the home run, Niko sits alone in sixth all-time in program history with 35 career home runs.
- The pair scored two insurance runs in the ninth to increase the Irish inning heading into the final frame.
- On the mound Will Mercer, Tanner Kohlhepp and Joe Sheridan combined for the win after allowing just five hits and one run.
- Kohlhepp grabbed his second win of the season after three innings of scoreless work and did not allow a hit. Sheridan picked up his second save of the season.
Top-25, Here Come The Irish
- Following five ACC series wins, with four coming on the road and a sweep to begin the 2021 season, people are starting to take note of the Irish.
- The Irish stayed steady in the polls after splitting the first two games of the series against Pittsburgh on Saturday and Sunday.
- The Irish have cracked the Top-15 in four of the six polls with the highest ranking being No. 12 by Baseball America followed by No. 13 from D1Baseball, No. 14 from the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 15 from Perfect Game.
- The Irish highest ranking is No. 12 for the third straight week. It is the highest the Irish have been in any poll since April 24, 2006 when they were also ranked No. 12 by Baseball America.
- A week after cracking two of the polls after the series win against Clemson, the Irish appeared in all six polls after the road sweep of Virginia.
- In the final week of the 2020 regular season, Notre Dame made their first appearance in the Top-25 when they were selected No. 24 by Collegiate Baseball News.
- It was the first time the Irish were ranked in the Top-25 since the 2015 season, the last time Notre Dame made an NCAA Regional.
Road Less Traveled
- With the 11-5 series-clinching win over Pitt on April 5, the Irish won their fifth-consecutive ACC road series dating back to the 2020 season.
- It is the longest road series winning streak for the Irish since they have joined the ACC back in 2014.
- The last time the Irish won five straight conference road series was back in the 2000-01 seasons when they won six straight conference road series over Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Connecticut and Villanova.
- The Irish have been dubbed the road warriors as they have won eight of their last 10 ACC road series dating back to the 2019 season.
- In the shortened 2020 season the Irish finished 9-1 on the road, it was their most road wins since the 2015 season.
- During his two-year tenure as head coach for the Irish, Link Jarrett’s squad has a 18-4 record on the road.
- The Irish opened ACC play with a 12-5 start through six series, the best start to conference play since joining the ACC. It is the best start to a conference slate for the Irish since 2008 when they opened BIG EAST play with an identical 12-5 record.
FRANK ECK STADIUM ATTENDANCE POLICY
2021 Baseball Media Credentials Info
The University of Notre Dame, in accordance with campus health and safety protocols and with the guidance of local health officials, will limit attendance for sports competing this spring to guests of competing Notre Dame student-athletes and coaches as well as current Notre Dame, Holy Cross and St. Mary’s College students. Students will be expected to show a current I.D. and physically distanced seating will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional student attendance policies can be found here.
—ND—