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Where Notre Dame baseball stands in RPI after sweeping Akron

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•05/15/23•

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Notre Dame infielder Zack Prajzner. (Photo: Notre Dame baseball)

Notre Dame’s Rating Percentage Index (RPI) statistic was always going to take a hit just by squaring up against lowly Akron this past weekend. But the Fighting Irish did everything they could to not let it fall too far.

Notre Dame (29-19, 14-13 ACC) is No. 46 in the key determinant of NCAA Tournament worthiness after taking all three games vs. the Zips. As a team likely vying for an at-large bid if it does not win the ACC Tournament in a few weeks, anything in the 40s is bubble territory. Not comfortable bubble territory, either. A ranking closer to 40 on the dot or just inside that would have head coach Shawn Stiffler feeling a lot better about his team’s chances.

There isn’t anything the Irish can do about what has already occurred, though. They have four games left in the regular season; one midweek non-conference matchup vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field on Tuesday and a three-game series at Boston College this weekend. The second of those games vs. the Eagles is at Fenway Park. Those are the games that matter now.

Northwestern (25-22) ranks No. 141 in the RPI. Midweek games are tricky, but the Irish need to take care of business. Boston College (32-16) is a different story. The Eagles are No. 13 in the RPI. That gives Notre Dame an excellent opportunity to improve its own RPI ranking with a series victory.

It can be done.

Boston College gas the same ACC record as Notre Dame. The Eagles have lost four of their last five ACC series and have a conference record of 6-9 in that span. The Irish have won two of their last three ACC series and have a conference record of 6-3 in that span. One team is hot. The other is not.

Bear in mind Notre Dame is playing on the road, though, where the Irish are 10-12 this season. Boston College is just 11-7 at home, which is an inviting record from a visiting team’s perspective. Teams are expected to clean house at home; the Irish are 17-7 in South Bend.

Notre Dame squeaked out two one-run wins vs. Akron (17-32). The series finale was a 2-1 victory. The Irish have the country’s No. 277 team batting average at .247. It’s weakness on weakness in Boston this weekend; the Eagles have the nation’s No. 112 team earned run average at 5.49.

It’s only a three-game set, but they are the biggest three games of the year for the Irish. Getting swept would be devastating. Losing two of three would hurt tremendously. Winning two of three would help greatly. Earning a sweep would essentially make Notre Dame a tournament lock.

There are four potential outcomes looking at the series as a whole. Each one of them has a different effect on Notre Dame’s odds of qualifying for the postseason.

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