Streaking
The Notre Dame baseball team is now on a 4 game winning streak after taking down the Cal Bears in the first of a three games series this weekend in South Bend. Maybe the Irish should play more teams from the bay area.
From the ND press release:
Radel Tosses a Gem as Irish Shut Down Golden Bears
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Jack Radel registered a career-high 12 strikeouts, Davis Johnson belted a pair of home runs, and the Notre Dame baseball team took an 8-1 win over California in game one of a three-game ACC series.
The Irish struck in the bottom of the first inning to get on the scoreboard early. Carson Tinney beat the shift with a single, and Davis Johnson crushed a home run to right field two batters later for a 2-0 lead.
Jack Radel retired the side in order in both the second and the third innings before the Golden Bears used a solo home run to make it a 2-1 game. The Irish came right back in the bottom half of the inning to regain a two-run advantage. Parker Brzustewicz led off with a single to left-center field, and Nick DeMarco drew a two-out, four-pitch walk to put a pair on base. DM Jefferson hit a ground-rule double to the right-center gap to plate Brzustewicz as Notre Dame went ahead 3-1.
Radel struck out six of the next eight batters he faced as he continued to keep the Golden Bears at bay. The Irish offense rewarded the sophomore right-hander with more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Connor Hincks laced a one-out single to right field, and Estevan Moreno powered a home run into the wind in left for a 5-1 advantage.
Radel continued his masterpiece on the mound by retiring the side in order in the top of the seventh with a pair of strikeouts on either end of a fly out to center field. The offense again added to the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Carson Tinney was hit by a pitch with one out, and Bino Watters added a single to put two runners on base. Davis Johnson then had his second no-doubt home run of the contest to right field to make it an 8-1 lead for the home side.
Kellan Klosterman came on in relief in the eighth and used a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to record a pair of outs before DM Jefferson made a highlight-reel diving catch in center field to end the inning. Oisin Lee entered the game in the top of the ninth with bases loaded and no outs and promptly struck out the first batter he faced. Lee induced a soft pop up to Estevan Moreno at shortstop then slammed the door shut on the inning and the game with a strikeout to preserve the 8-1 win.
Jack Radel matched his longest outing of the season with 7.0 innings on the mound while recording a new career-high of 12 strikeouts. The sophomore needed just 93 pitches to earn the win on the night. Kellan Klosterman went one-plus on the mound with no runs on two hits. Oisin Lee went the final 1.0 with two strikeouts, no hits, and no runs.
Davis Johnson had his first multi-home run effort of his collegiate career as the sophomore was 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored. Bino Watters was 2-for-4 with a double and a run, and Connor Hincks went 2-for-4 with a run. Estevan Moreno hit a two-run home run, and Carson Tinney was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. DM Jefferson had a double and an RBI, and Parker Brzustewicz added a hit and a run. Jared Zimbardo also picked up a hit in the win.
The Irish (22-17, 8-14 ACC) are set to face Cal for game two of the three-game series on Saturday starting at 2:00 p.m. The game will also be the team’s Pediatric Cancer Awareness game as part of the ACC’s inaugural Cancer Awareness Week among the baseball programs. There will be a ceremonial first pitch approximately 15 minutes before game time. All regular season home games are free at Frank Eck Stadium.