SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (14-13, 2-11 ACC) suffered a loss with an eighth-inning comeback by No. 2 Clemson (26-3, 8-2 ACC) Friday, 7-3. The Irish held the Tigers to one run through seven innings, but four runs in the eighth and two in the ninth gave Clemson the win.
RHP Matt Bedford pitched a career-high 4.2 innings to start the game, earning five strikeouts giving up zero runs. RHP Ricky Reeth (1-4) absorbed the loss for Notre Dame. INF Estevan Moreno led the Irish at the plate with two doubles and two RBI, while OF David Glancy added his tenth home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning. Glancy is now three home runs away from tying his most in a season (13).
Moreno and INF Connor Hincks turned Notre Dame’s 26th double play of the season this evening. The Irish entered the weekend tied for first in the ACC with 25 double plays. Notre Dame is now averaging 0.96 double plays per game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Clemson led off with a single, but Bedford struck out the second batter, and Notre Dame held the Tigers scoreless in the first. After a leadoff groundout in the bottom of the inning, Glancy took the first pitch he saw to right field for his tenth homer of the season, putting the Irish up 1-0.
Bedford posted a six-pitch second inning, allowing one hit as the Irish again held Clemson off the board. The Irish would not allow another hit until the sixth inning. INF Jack Penney led off the bottom of the second with a single, and after a popup, C Joey Spence singled to push Penney to third. After a strikeout, Spence took second on a passed ball. Moreno notched his first double of the day to score both Penney and Spence, giving the Irish a 3-0 lead.
Both teams went three up, three down in the third, and were held scoreless and hitless in the fourth and fifth. RHP Nate Hardman entered to secure the third out of the fifth for Notre Dame.
In the sixth, Clemson led off with a single, but the Irish then turned their 26th double play of the season, as Moreno snagged a grounder at second and threw to Hincks at first. After a HBP and a single, Clemson posted another single to score its first run of the day. The Irish were unable to extend the lead in the bottom of the inning.
Reeth took the mound to start the seventh, sitting the Tigers down in order. C Carson Tinney entered to lead off the bottom of the seventh, taking a HBP. After a flyout, Moreno hit his second double of the day, pushing Tinney to third. After a strikeout, Glancy was intentionally walked to load the bases, but a strikeout stranded all three on base.
Clemson led off the eighth with a single, the runner reaching second on a wild pitch. A double scored the Tigers’ second run of the day, and a groundout pushed the runner to third. A double scored the tying run for Clemson, and a subsequent homer added two more. The Irish went up to bat down 5-3. INF Simon Baumgardt led off the bottom half with a single, and after a flyout, OF Tito Flores singled to push Baumgardt to second. DM Jefferson entered to pinch hit, and hit into a fielder’s choice to push Baumgardt to third with Flores tagged out on the play. A strikeout ended the Irish push to score.
Clemson led off with a walk in the ninth, and a home run gave the Tigers two more insurance runs. After two lineouts to Glancy in left, Clemson added a single before RHP David Lally entered. C Tony Lindwedel and Moreno caught the Clemson runner stealing to send the Irish to bat.
Notre Dame went three up, three down in the bottom of the ninth, giving No. 2 Clemson its 26th win of the season.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame and No. 2 Clemson return to Frank Eck Stadium for the second game of the series on Saturday at 5:30 pm. ET. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.