SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (21-20, 6-17 ACC) topped No. 8 Wake Forest (27-15, 12-11 ACC) with a resounding 11-3 victory Saturday. The evening was headlined by three Irish home runs in the first inning, complemented by five and one-thirds steady innings from starting RHP Jack Radel, who improved to 4-2 with the win.
OF TJ Williams, INF Estevan Moreno and INF Connor Hincks were responsible for the three solo homers in the bottom of the first inning, as Williams took the very first pitch in the leadoff spot for a trip around the bases. Moreno added another homer in the sixth, notching his fourth game this season with multiple home runs.
Radel earned five strikeouts on the mound, giving up just three hits. The bullpen won several impact at-bats, with RHP Will Jacobsen going two innings with three strikeouts, and RHP Nate Hardman closing out the game with two strikeouts in the ninth.
The victory marks Notre Dame’s first win over a ranked team since April 23, 2023 vs No. 8 Virginia (5-4).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first two Wake Forest batters were retired in the first. After ceding a walk, INF Simon Baumgardt snagged a foulout to end the inning.
Williams took the first pitch for a leadoff homer to put the Irish on the board. Glancy drew a walk, but was tagged out on a double play. Moreno then homered to put the Irish up 2, and Hincks took the immediately-following pitch for a solo homer, as well. A walk and a single put two on base for Notre Dame, but a fielder’s choice tagged Baumgardt out to end the inning with a 3-0 Irish lead.
Radel and the Irish retired Wake in order in the top of the second, with Radel closing the inning with his first strikeout of the day. After two outs to lead off the bottom of the second, Glancy singled, and sped all the way home on an RBI double from INF Jack Penney. Moreno forced an error to reach first, pushing Penney to third. A passed ball on the next at-bat allowed Penney to come home, while Moreno reached second. Hincks then doubled to score Moreno, putting the Irish up 6-0. Baumgardt drew a walk, and both Hincks and Baumgardt took another base on a wild pitch. OF Tito Flores took a HBP to load the bases, and a passed ball allowed all three to take another base, Hincks scoring Notre Dame’s seventh run. A strikeout ended the inning.
Both sides added a hit in the third, but neither team scored. In the fourth, each team went three up, three down. Radel added two strikeouts in the third and one in the fourth, holding Wake Forest scoreless.
The Demon Deacons led off the fifth with a single, but a fielder’s choice caught the first out. Radel dealt another strikeout, and C Tony Lindwedel fired a laser to Moreno at second to catch the runner stealing for the third out. The Irish again went three up, three down in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Wake Forest led off with a walk, and put a second runner on base with a single. Another walk loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly scored Wake Forest’s first run of the game. RHP Caden Spivey took the mound for Notre Dame, and a single brought two more runs home. Moreno picked up a grounder for the second out, and after a walk, Moreno again grabbed a ground ball, dishing to Hincks to end the top of the inning. Glancy led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, and after a flyout, Moreno hit his second home run of the game to put Notre Dame up 9-3. Two strikeouts ended the inning.
RHP Will Jacobsen took the mound to start the seventh for the Irish, and after two outs, Wake Forest hit a single. Jacobsen struck out the next batter on a full count to hold the Demon Deacons off the board. After two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Lindwedel drew a walk, but was left on base with a strikeout.
Wake Forest led off the eighth with a single, but the next three batters were retired, including by two strikeouts from Jacobsen to end the inning. After a flyout in the bottom of the inning, Penney drew a walk, and Moreno took a HBP to place two on base. After a strikeout, Baumgardt tripled to bring both runners home, increasing the lead to 11-3. A groundout ended the inning.
RHP Nate Hardman entered to close the game in the ninth for Notre Dame. Penney snagged a speedy liner for the opening out, and Hardman struck out the next two batters to give Notre Dame the win.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame and Wake Forest return for the rubber match Sunday at Noon ET. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.