by Claire DeMeo ’24
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame (9-2) found a rhythm at the plate, pushing them past Purdue (8-4) in an 11-2 victory in their home opener. INF Estevan Moreno recorded his third-career three-homer game, making him the only player in program history to hit three home runs in three separate games (also hit three homers March 2, 2024 at Tennessee Tech and April 21, 2023 vs. Virginia). Moreno has now hit six home runs in the last three games.
The Irish win was quite the team effort, with seven players recording an RBI on the day. The defense only allowed two runs. On the mound, RHP Matt Bedford (1-1) pitched a win in three innings of work, only allowing two hits. Given the midweek contest, the planned bullpen game allowed Bedford to earn the win in fewer than the customary five innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams started slow at the plate in the first inning–the Notre Dame and Purdue defenses traded a three up, three down each. The Boilermakers drew a walk and recorded a single on consecutive at-bats to put runners on first and second base, but a popup to second base sent the game to the bottom half of the inning. The Irish had yet to find a rhythm at the plate in the second, as the Boilermaker defense retired the side in order.
Moving into the third inning, the Irish defense held strong. After drawing a walk and unsuccessfully bunting towards Bedford for the first out, a Boilermaker single hit put runners on first and second base. Fortunately, the Irish were able to turn two–a collective effort by INF Jack Penney, Moreno, and INF Connor Hincks–to escape the top of the third inning scoreless.
In the bottom of the third, Moreno smashed a solo home run on the first pitch in his first at-bat of the day. After a strikeout and a flyout to left field, Notre Dame headed to the fourth with a 1-0 lead.
At the top of the fourth inning, RHP Radek Birkholz came in to relieve Bedford. After a Boilermaker double to left center field, Birkholz responded with an impressive three-pitch strikeout. A groundout to shortstop ended the fourth for the Boiler bats, leaving a runner in scoring position.
The fourth inning saw the bats awaken for the Irish, as Hincks led off with a double. On the next pitch, Flores reached on a fielder’s choice, advancing Hincks to third. With runners on each corner, Baumgardt’s single through the left side scored Hincks, bringing the score to 2-0 with no outs recorded. A Tinney single down the left field line sent Flores home, extending the lead to 3-0. The inning ended on a Moreno flyout with Tinney turning the corner towards home from second base, but was tagged out after attempting a leap to try avoiding contact with the catcher.
Starting the fifth inning, with a walk, a single hit to left center put the Boilermakers on first, with the runner caught out at third coming from first. Two consecutive walks put runners at second and third. Another single hit by Purdue on the left side led to two RBI cutting the Irish lead to 3-2.
Birkholz struck out the next batter looking, but the runners on first and second stole second and third bases respectively. A groundout to second base ended the first half of the inning, leaving both runners on base. The Irish went three up, three down in the fifth.
At the top of the sixth inning, RHP Bennett Flynn took the mound for Birkholz, striking out his first batter faced of the day, grounding out the second batter, and striking out the third batter to send the Irish to the bottom of the sixth with a one run lead.
A pair of singles from Hincks and Baumgardt put the duo on base in the bottom of the sixth. An OF Brady Gumpf double to deep right field drove in the two runners, extending the Irish lead to 5-2. Following a pitch clock violation, Moreno hit his second solo home run, notching another multi-homer game and putting the Irish up 7-2 heading into the seventh inning.
It was a quick top half of the seventh inning for the Irish defense, with Flynn striking out two more batters. Penney, hit by pitch, took first base. DH DM Jefferson, entering the game at DH in the seventh, sent a deep ball down the right field line, recording a triple and scoring Penney. Following Jefferson’s triple, on the next at-bat, Hincks hit a triple of his own, scoring Jefferson. The hit parade continued with a Flores single to drive in Hincks. The Irish finished the seventh inning with three runs and three hits, running away with a 10-2 lead.
After a flyout, a double play effort by the Irish put a quick end to the top of the eighth inning. A third Moreno solo homer to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning made him the first player in program history to homer three times in three separate games, putting the Irish up 11-2.
RHP Sammy Cooper came into the game for Flynn to close the night out. After a single, a fielder’s choice retired the lead runner and placed a runner at first. The Boilermakers notched a double to right center field, putting their runners on second and third. A hit-by-pitch on the next at-bat loaded the bases. Unphased by the tight spot, Cooper struck out the next batter with one out remaining in the game. A flyout on a shot to deep left center field on the ensuing at-bat sealed the 11-2 victory for the Irish.
UP NEXT
The Irish travel to Blacksburg, Va. to take on Virginia Tech on March 8-10, opening ACC play. The games will be broadcast on ACCNX.