SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (18-18, ACC 3-16) defeated Boston College (20-17, ACC 7-12) 14-3 in seven innings, their second-consecutive 10-run ruling. Starting RHP Matt Bedford (2-5) got the win, allowing only four hits, one earned run and two walks through five innings pitched.
The Irish offense hit their stride early into the matchup, scoring nine runs in the first two innings. The 9-0 start was their best since March 8, 2022 at Elon (Notre Dame went 10-0 through the top of the fourth in their 11-3 win). An impressive four Irish batters homered – OF TJ Williams, INF Tito Flores, C Joey Spence and PH Carson Tinney.
Tinney’s base rounder was an inside-the-park homer, marking Notre Dame’s first such home run since 2022 (Ryan Cole, May 1, 2022 vs. Boston College).
Notre Dame turned four double plays on the day, their most in a single game this season. No ACC program has posted more than four double plays in a game this season, and just three programs across Division I baseball have turned five in a single game.
INF Connor Hincks came into the series leading the ACC in triples (tied) and fielding double plays with four and 29, respectively. He added to both of those totals Friday, bringing his season figures to five triples and 33 fielding double plays.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish defense started strong, forcing a groundout to shortstop on Bedford’s first pitch of the game. After a single, the Eagles grounded into an INF Estevan Moreno to Hincks double play, quickly sending the game to the bottom half of the first inning.
Williams smashed a solo homer into left field to kick off a huge half inning for the Irish, marking the first time Notre Dame has led off a game with a homer since 2017 (Nick Podkul, April 21, 2017 at #19 Virginia). OF David Glancy singled, then INF Jack Penney doubled down the right field line to send Glancy home. A groundout pushed Penney to third. A Hincks single scored Penney, and INF Simon Baumgardt doubled, sending Hincks home. Flores then sent a three-run bomb to left field, bolstering the lead to 6-0. OF Brady Gumpf drew a walk on a full count, but a subsequent strikeout and groundout posted the last two outs as the Irish batted all the way through the order in the inning.
In the top of the second inning, the Eagles were able to reach base on a hit-by-pitch, and the next BC batter hit a ground ball to second, but was met by Penney, Moreno and Hincks for their second double play of the day, securing the first two outs of the inning. A popup ended the half inning, sending the red-hot Irish offense back to the plate.
Glancy led off with a single. Penney followed up with a double through the right side, his second of the day, to score Glancy. Penney again took third on a groundout, and Hincks singled to bring Penney home. Baumgardt walked on a 3-0 count and Hincks advanced to second. A Flores single advanced Baumgardt to second and scored Hincks, extending the Irish lead to 9-0. Gumpf was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a pair of strikeouts brought the inning to a close.
The third inning began with a walk on a full count for the Eagles. A double put another runner on base. A groundout to third scored one for the Eagles. Another runner advanced into scoring position on a passed ball, then a single on the next at-bat tacked on another run for BC, making it a 9-2 ballgame. Two-consecutive flyouts got the Irish out of the half-inning. The Irish were held to a quick three up, three down in the bottom of the third.
It was another efficient inning for the Irish defense in the fourth. The Eagles drew a one-out walk, but the Irish were able to turn another double play, this one from Baumgardt to Moreno and Hincks, on the next at-bat to end the push.
Leading off the bottom of the fourth inning, Hincks tripled and Baumgardt doubled, scoring Hincks. After a popup, Gumpf drew his second walk of the day. With two runners on base, Spence slammed a three-run homer over the wall at right field, putting the Irish up 13-2. Williams was then hit by a pitch. A Glancy single brought Williams to third. However, the Irish grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Both teams went scoreless in the fifth inning. RHP Ricky Reeth came into the game for Bedford to start the sixth. Reeth immediately struck out the Eagles’ leadoff batter. The next batter took base on a hit-by-pitch, then advanced all the way to third on two-consecutive wild pitches. A double sent the runner home, making the score 13-3. In response, Reeth struck out another batter. After walking the next batter, a flyout put the game into the bottom of the sixth.
Tinney hit an inside-the-park homer, a long fly ball that bounced off the wall, to lead off the bottom of the sixth, keeping the Irish up 14-3. Williams then doubled, and after a strikeout, Penney drew another walk. A popup and groundout brought the game to the seventh.
After notching a single, the Eagles grounded into their fourth double play of the game, from Baumgardt to Moreno to Hincks. A groundout back to Reeth secured the third out, ending the game in seven innings.
UP NEXT
The Irish continue their three-game home series against Boston College on April 20 at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.