COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish advanced to 6-2 on the season as they took home game one of the three game series against the Tennessee Tech Eagles (6-3) on Friday, March 1. It was a home run derby as Notre Dame recorded six home runs in the 14-3 victory.
Jack Penney led off for the Irish, reaching on a fielding error from the Eagles. While an Irish groundout allowed Penney to advance to second, an RBI single from Connor Hincks would send him home and put the Irish on the board with a 1-0 lead to start.
Hincks was followed with a two-run bomb from Simon Baumgardt, his third home run of the year, to put the Irish up 3-0.
The Irish and Eagles were each held scoreless in the second, third and fourth innings, as Matt Bedford recorded three strikeouts across three innings before Radek Birkholz came in relief.
Baumgardt recorded his second hit of the day in the top of the fifth with a single to the shortstop, but the Irish were unable to send him home.
A big sixth frame from Notre Dame would extend the lead as Brady Gumpf recorded his first home run of the season with a solo shot to right center field to lead off the top of the sixth. TJ Williams followed suit with a solo blast himself as he sent it over the fence in left field to give Notre Dame the 5-0 advantage.
The Eagles weren’t going anywhere as they responded with a three-run home run to bring it within two heading into the seventh. Bennett Flynn would take the mound to start the bottom of the inning.
Leading 5-3, Notre Dame would add on another four runs in the eighth.
Gumpf got the party started with a double down the left field line and was scored on a two-run home run from Josh Hahn to put the Irish up 7-3. Jack Penney recorded an RBI groundout to score Estevan Moreno, who reached on a hit by pitch.
The top of the eighth was closed by an RBI single from Hincks as he scored TJ Williams, extending the Irish lead 9-3.
In the final offensive frame, the Irish recorded four hits and five runs. Moreno had the first hit in the ninth as he doubled to left center field and was scored on a Williams RBI single to the shortstop.
Penney stepped up to plate and launched one to right center for a two-run blast, putting the Irish up 12-3. The party wasn’t over yet as Hincks homered to right center as well, scoring Tino Flores who reached via a walk.
Flynn would strike out the side to close the final frame in the ninth, recording seven strikeouts across 3.0 innings pitched.
The Irish are back in action tomorrow for game two of the three game series as they face the Eagles at 3 PM ET (2 PM CT).