Just when things were looking up for Notre Dame Baseball after sweeping Clemson and getting nationally ranked — the Irish get swept by the North Carolina Tar Heels inside Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend.
We knew things were going to be tough for Notre Dame with a schedule that is filled with top 25 ACC teams, but with this series being in South Bend, there was plenty of hope they could have pulled out a series win. Instead, the sweep by the Tar Heels looked abusive as they did a number on the Irish.
Notre Dame Baseball: Irish Downed by Tar Heels
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 23 Notre Dame baseball team fell in a 15-10 final against No. 13 North Carolina on Sunday at Frank Eck Stadium.
After the Tar Heels plated a run in the top of the first, the Irish responded right back in the bottom half of the inning. Drew Berkland drove a single to right-center, and Noah Coy blasted a 412-foot home run to right-center field to put the Irish ahead. Bino Watters beat the shift with a single through the left side and advanced on a groundout. Jayce Lee punched a single through the right side as Watters came around to score for a 3-1 Notre Dame advantage.
North Carolina put three runs on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Again, the Irish responded. Drew Berkland used the sun to his advantage and used a flare to center field to leg out a double. Noah Coy drew a full-count walk, and Mark Quatrani sent a home run 455 feet to deep center field for a three-run spot for the 6-4 Notre Dame lead through two.
Jayce Lee added to the Irish advantage in the bottom of the third. The sophomore hit a one-out ground-rule double to center field and advanced to third on a groundout. Lee then took advantage of a wild pitch that got away from the Tar Heels catcher and scored from third base for a 7-4 lead. Ty Uber then retired the side in order in the top of the fourth on 12 pitches.
North Carolina plated eight runs in the top of the fifth for a 12-7 lead.
Dylan Passo had a single, and Drew Berkland hit a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth. Noah Coy then drove in Passo with a single to right field to make it a 12-8 game. Oisin Lee retired the Tar Heels in order in the top of the eighth for the Irish.
Parker Brzustewicz drew a one-out walk, and Dylan Passo notched a single to put a pair of runners on base. Jamie Zee bounced a double up the left field line to score Brzustewicz to make it 12-9. Drew Berkland then drove in Passo with a sacrifice fly to left field for the Irish for a 12-10 score.
North Carolina put three runs on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth for a 15-10 lead. Davis Johnson laced a two-out double to left-center field, but the Irish were unable to put together the ninth-inning rally in the 15-10 final.
Drew Berkland went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI. Noah Coy went 2-for-4 at the dish with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Mark Quatrani drove in three runs with a home run for the Irish. Dylan Passo was 2-for-2 at the plate, and Jayce Lee added a pair of hits – including a double – with an RBI and a run. Bino Watters had a hit and scored a run. Davis Johnson posted a double, and Jamie Zee had a double and an RBI.
Ty Uber struck out three over four innings of work and suffered the decision on the mound. Dylan Singleton went 3.0 with five strikeouts. Oisin Lee struck out one over 1.1 innings of work, and Chase Van Ameyde struck out a pair in 0.2 innings on the mound.
The Irish (15-9, 6-6 ACC) are back in action on Thursday as they open a three-game series at No. 14 NC State. Game one of the series is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET.
