7 homers y’all
It’s already been kind of a wild season for the Notre Dame baseball team, but on Friday against the Florida State Seminoles and former Irish coach Link Jarrett — they made damn sure to make it even weirder. The Irish had one lone ACC win going into the game, and had been pounded on in a few of those games. The Irish were the ones to break out the big hammer, and drove 7 balls over the fence on their way to a 16-9 win over the #4 team in the country.
Weird, wild, and fun.
From the ND press release:
Big Bats Bolster Irish In Win Over No. 4 Seminoles
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Irish bats exploded for seven home runs as the Notre Dame baseball team defeated No. 4 Florida State by a 16-9 final score on Friday night.
Florida State got on the scoreboard first with one run in the second, third, and fourth innings for a 3-0 advantage. The bottom half of the fourth saw the Irish break into the scoring column with a solo home run by Carson Tinney to energize the home side.
The Seminoles used a sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it a 4-1 score. Jayce Lee led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, and Jared Zimbardo reached on an error by the shortstop to put a pair of runners on base. Two batters later, Bino Watters hit a double down the left field line to drive in Lee for a 4-2 score.
Jack Radel collected his fifth strikeout of the game before inducing a line-drive out in the top of the sixth. Ricky Reeth came on in relief two batters later and shut the door on the scoring chance with a strikeout.
Notre Dame put five runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. Brady Gumpf drew a lead-off walk before Jayce Lee belted his first collegiate home run to knot the game at 4-4. Jared Zimbardo doubled off the left field fence, and Bino Watters drew a two-out walk to put a pair of runners on base. Estevan Moreno then made his 100th career hit a memorable one as the junior shortstop smashed a three-run home to left field for a 7-4 Irish lead.
The Seminoles countered with three runs in the top half of the seventh to draw even at 7-7. A solo home run by Brady Gumpf in the bottom of the seventh quickly gave the lead back to the home side. Florida State responded with a run in the top of the eighth, but the momentum quickly shifted back to Notre Dame.
Jared Zimbardo led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to dead center field to spark what turned out to be an eight-run inning. Brzustewicz hit a single, Watters drew another walk, and Moreno reached on an error to load the bases. Carson Tinney then drove a bases-clearing double to the right-center wall to make it 12-8. Connor Hincks belted a double down the left field line, and Nick DeMarco added a three-run home run to left-center field for a 15-8 lead for the Irish. DM Jefferson then came up and added a solo homer of his own to put the home side ahead 16-8. Jared Zimbardo posted his second hit of the inning – a double – before Watters walked for the second time in the inning, but the Irish were unable to add to the lead while controlling all of the momentum heading into the ninth.
The Seminoles plated a run in the top of the final stanza, but Chase Van Ameyde closed out the game and the win with three consecutive strikeouts for the 16-9 Notre Dame victory.
Van Ameyde earned the pitching victory on the mound with four strikeouts over the final 1.1 innings of play. Jack Radel started the contest and went 5.2 innings with five strikeouts in a no-decision outing. Ricky Reeth added 2.0 innings of work with four strikeouts for the Irish.
The Irish posted seven home runs as a team in the victory.
Jared Zimbardo went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, two runs, a walk, an RBI, and was hit by a pitch. Estevan Moreno reached 100 career hits with a two-hit performance, which included a home run, a double, three RBI, and two runs. Carson Tinney was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, four RBI, and two runs. Jayce Lee added a 2-for-4 showing with a home run, two RBI, and two runs. Nick DeMarco, Brady Gumpf, and DM Jefferson each added a home run in the win. DeMarco drove in three runs, and Gumpf scored twice. Bino Watters drew four walks and posted a hit, and Connor Hincks had a double. Every starter for the Irish had at least one hit in the contest.
Notre Dame (14-9, 2-8 ACC) will host Florida State for a doubleheader on Saturday. Game one is scheduled for noon, and game two will begin approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The Run the Bases event schedule for Sunday for young fans will take place after game two (weather permitting).