MIAMI, Fla. – Notre Dame (4-2) dropped the doubleheader at FIU (5-2) Saturday, as RHP Nate Hardman (0-1) and RHP Matt Bedford (0-1) shouldered the losses.
The Irish came back in the first game to take the lead in the eighth inning, but were unable to hold on. INF Josh Hahn hit his first home run in an Irish uniform in Game One, a three-run shot, and freshman RHP Keenan Mork made his first-career appearance on the mound in Game One.
Freshman RHP Hagan Ward made his first-career appearance for the Irish in Game Two, entering with the bases loaded and one out, and forcing a double play to escape the inning with no runs scored. Senior RHP Sammy Cooper made his first appearance of the season in Game Two, entering in the eighth inning.
Notre Dame’s 4-0 start was the program’s best start since 2004, when the Irish went 7-0 to open the season.
GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish got two on base in the first, but were unable to convert. After an FIU single, a home run scored both, and FIU went up 0-2 to end the first. INF Simon Baumgardt led off the second with a single, and Hahn drew a HBP. After two outs, DH DM Jefferson drew another HBP to load the bases. OF David Glancy notched Notre Dame’s third HBP of the inning to score Baumgardt. Dennies and the Irish sat down the FIU side to end the second at 1-2.
Both sides went three up, three down in the third, and Notre Dame did the same in the fourth. FIU led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer, and two singles followed by a sac bunt placed runners on second and third. A sac fly scored another run for FIU before a lineout ended the inning at 1-4.
The Irish again went three up three down in the fifth, and Jacobsen entered to pitch the fifth for Notre Dame. FIU added another home run to score two, putting the Panthers up 1-6.
In the sixth, Hincks earned a one-out single, and Baumgardt’s subsequent single pushed Hincks to third. Hahn stepped to the plate and sent his homer to right field, cutting the lead to 4-6. Jacobsen and the Irish retired all three batters in the bottom of the sixth.
Brady Gumpf entered at DH for the Irish, and led off the seventh by forcing an error. Glancy doubled, and Gumpf scored all the way from first. Penney sent a deep shot to center field, ruled an error, and scored Glancy. Flores then homered, and Notre Dame took an 8-6 lead. In the bottom of the inning, FIU led off with a solo homer, and after two outs, Hardman entered to pitch, later forcing a flyout to end the inning with a one-run lead, 8-7.
The Irish stranded two on base in the eighth, unable to score, and FIU led off their half with another solo home run. After two outs, an RBI single gave FIU the lead, and a following single put the score at 8-10.
Notre Dame singled twice in the ninth, but was unable to score, and took its first loss of the season.
GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame again placed two on base in the first, but did not score. Bedford took the mound and delivered two strikeouts to sit the side down. Both teams went three up, three down in the second, and Notre Dame did the same in the third. FIU scored two runs in the bottom of the third on two wild pitches to go up 0-2.
Neither team scored in the fourth, as Bedford added another strikeout. The first three Irish batters were retired in the fifth, and Lally entered to pitch to begin the fifth. A walk and HBP put two on base with one out, and a single brought a run home. A subsequent double scored two more before Notre Dame got out of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Penney doubled, and after an out, Hincks doubled to score Penney, getting the Irish on the board. FIU loaded the bases on two walks and a HBP with one out, and Ward entered to pitch. On an 0-2 count, FIU hit into a double play from Hincks to Penney and Hahn, and FIU was held scoreless in the sixth.
Hahn led off the seventh with a single, pushed to second on a groundout. Tinney walked, and both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. OF T.J. Williams took a HBP to load the bases, and Glancy delivered a sac fly to score Hahn. Penney took a HBP to load the bases again, and Flores drew a walk to score Tinney. FIU made a pitching change and walked Hincks to score Williams. The Irish ended the top of the seventh cutting the score to 4-5.
FIU got two on base before a home run scored all three, increasing the lead to 4-8 to end the seventh.
In the eighth with two outs, Tinney doubled (the first double of his career), advancing to third on a Williams single. A wild pitch brought Tinney home, cutting the lead to 5-8 to go to the bottom of the eighth.
Cooper entered to pitch to begin the bottom of the eighth. With two runners on base, FIU sent a deep shot to center field for a double, scoring two runs and increasing the lead to 5-10. The Irish were unable to rally in the ninth, dropping the second game.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame returns to FIU Sunday for the series finale. First pitch is at Noon ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.