Notre Dame baseball takes back Atlantic Division lead by beating Miami
In a matter of minutes, Notre Dame went from fearing a squandered lead to padding it even further. It took a freshman turning one of the crispest double plays of the year and the same first-year player hitting his third home run of the season in the top half of the next frame, but the at the end of it all the Irish could take a breath.
And take in a victory.
The freshman’s name is Jack Penney. And he just might be the future at second base for Notre Dame, a 5-0 winner in Game 2 of a pivotal road series at No. 9 Miami (36-16, 19-10 ACC) this week. The No. 14 Irish (33-12, 16-10) tied the series and will look to claim it in a rubber match at 1 p.m. Saturday.
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Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Hurricanes singled twice with one out off Notre Dame sophomore pitcher Matt Bedford in just his fourth appearance on the mound of his career. A much more experienced hurler, senior Will Mercer, replaced him on the mound and induced the grounder that Penney tossed to senior shortstop Zack Prajzner, who fired the ball to first to get the third and final out of the frame.
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As poetically as baseball can be at times, Penney was due up second in the top of the eighth. He connected on a 1-0 pitch and turned on it to send the ball over the left field fence. Notre Dame took a 4-0 lead on its fourth home run of the night. Graduate senior outfielder Ryan Cole homered in the second to give the Irish a 1-0 lead. Junior third baseman Jack Brannigan‘s two-run shot in the fifth extended the advantage to 3-0.
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The Irish added insurance in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from senior first baseman Carter Putz. Miami loaded the bases in the ninth, but senior Alex Rao worked out of Mercer’s jam. Notre Dame became the first team this season to shut out the Hurricanes.
Graduate senior Austin Temple had one of his best efforts on the mound of the year when Notre Dame needed it most. He only gave up one hit and three walks in six innings, his second-longest outing of the year. He hadn’t gone through six innings since March 6. He struck out five and, most importantly, didn’t allow any runs for a second-straight start.
If the Irish were to win Saturday, it’d be their largest series victory of the season. It’d also give them the ACC Atlantic Division title. Louisville lost, 16-7, to Virginia Tech Friday. Louisville can only catch Notre Dame in the Atlantic division standings if the Irish lose Saturday. It’s only fitting the division will be decided on the final day of the regular season.
