SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (19-18, 4-16 ACC) clinched a series victory over Boston College (20-18, 7-13 ACC) with a 9-4 win Saturday.
RHP Jack Radel (3-2) earned the win, going five full innings and dealing five strikeouts.
The Irish were hot at the plate, with seven of nine batters in the lineup posting a hit. OF David Glancy and INF Jack Penney led Notre Dame, both going 3-5. Glancy notched three RBI and a home run. DH Brady Gumpf also added a home run, a two-run shot.
Saturday marked the second series win for the Irish this season (first was home vs. Miami).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Boston College got off to a fast start, sending two-consecutive singles to lead off the first inning. The Irish turned a double play on the next batter, but a run scored. After a single, Radel struck out the next batter to limit the damage. OF TJ Williams led off the bottom half with a single, and Glancy took the first pitch he saw for a home run, taking a 2-1 lead for Notre Dame. Penney followed with a double, and INF Estevan Moreno notched a single. After a foul-out, Moreno stole second, and INF Simon Baumgardt delivered a groundout to score Penney. OF Tito Flores sent a single through the right side to score Moreno, and the inning ended with a 4-1 Irish lead.
Radel and the Irish held the Eagles scoreless in the second, as Radel added a strikeout. C Joey Spence led off with a single in the bottom of the second, and Williams reached base on a bunt. After two strikeouts, Moreno walked to load the bases, but a fielder’s choice ball ended the inning before the Irish could score.
Boston College led off the third with a solo homer, and followed with two-consecutive singles. Both runners moved to scoring position on a sac bunt, and a groundout scored a run for the Eagles. Another groundout sent the Irish to bat with a 4-3 lead. Baumgardt drew a leadoff walk and reached second on a groundout. Gumpf then homered to center field, adding two runs for the Irish. A groundout and flyout ended the inning at 6-3, Notre Dame.
In the fourth, Boston College sat down in order, as Radel posted another strikeout. Glancy and Penney added singles in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to score.
The Eagles singled to lead off the fifth, but Radel dealt another strikeout in response. Another single put a runner on, but the leadoff runner was tagged out on the attempt to reach third. Radel struck out the next batter to end the top of the inning. Flores led off the bottom half with a single, and Gumpf drew a walk to put two on. Spence delivered a sac bunt to push both to scoring position, and Williams followed with a single to score Flores. Williams stole second, and Glancy posted another single to score Gumpf. Penney kept the line moving, immediately following with a single to score Williams, and the Irish ended the inning with a 9-3 lead.
RHP Bennett Flynn entered to pitch the sixth inning for Notre Dame and, after walking the leadoff batter, dealt three swinging strikeouts to finish the inning. The Irish went three up, three down in the bottom of the sixth.
In the seventh, the Eagles hit a leadoff triple, the run scoring on a groundout. Flynn posted another strikeout, and the Irish went to bat up 9-4. After a leadoff strikeout for Notre Dame, Williams took a HBP to the head and left the game. OF Nathan Manning entered to pinch run for the Irish, but two outs ended the inning.
Williams returned to the field in the top of the eighth, and C Tony Lindwedel entered behind the plate. Boston College led off with a single, the runner stealing second. A walk added another on base. After a lineout, a single loaded the bases. The next batter sent a quick grounder up the middle, but Penney snagged it and turned the double play to Hincks to end the inning, holding the Eagles away from home. In the bottom of the inning, Notre Dame went down in order.
RHP Nate Hardman entered to close it out for the Irish, striking out two in the ninth to secure the 9-4 victory.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame and Boston College return for the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX. Notre Dame will start RHP Rory Fox on the mound, and Boston College will start LHP A.J. Colarusso.