Lotta runs
Notre Dame continued its strong start to the 2025 college baseball season with a 12-8 win over Bellmont in the first game of a three game weekend series.
From the ND press release:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The two sides combined for 20 runs, and the Irish came out on top in a 12-8 final at Belmont University on Friday night.
Bino Watters ripped a one-out double to right field in the top of the first inning, and the freshman advanced to third with two outs on a wild pitch. Carson Tinney then crushed a 1-1 pitch well over the left-center field fence to get the Irish on the scoreboard. Dylan Heine, meanwhile, struck out a pair and retired a batter with a ground out to have a three-up, three-down inning for the defense.
The Irish were retired in order in the top of the second, and the Bruins used a two-run home run of their own to knot the game at 2-2. Heine retired the next two batters to end the inning.
DM Jefferson had a lead-off walk and stole second to get into scoring position, and Jared Zimbardo drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base with no one out. Bino Watters added a walk of his own to load the bases for the Irish. Estevan Moreno used a sacrifice fly to drive in Jefferson to put the Irish up. Tinney continued to have a hot bat as the sophomore laced an RBI single through the left side, driving in Zimbardo from second. Parker Brzustewicz added an RBI single through the left side of the infield to plate Watters for a 5-2 lead midway through the second.
Belmont used a ground-rule double in the bottom of the third to get a run on the scoreboard, but Dylan Heine retired the next two batters to close down any other scoring chances for the Bruins. DM Jefferson led off with a walk for the second time in as many plate appearances to start the fourth. Bino Watters drove a double off the wall, and Jefferson came all the way around from first to score. Carson Tinney drew a walk, and Parker Brzustewicz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Connor Hincks then delivered a huge blow with a full-count grand slam to center field for a 10-3 lead for the Irish. Nick DeMarco gave Notre Dame back-t0-back home runs with a solo shot to extend the advantage to eight runs.
The Bruins countered with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the fourth. Heine sat down the final two outs of the inning with a pop up to Noah Coy and a ground out to Estevan Moreno to end the fourth. Carson Tinney drew a two-out walk, and Parker Brzustewicz kept the inning alive with a single to put a pair on base. A ground out, however, stopped the scoring chance short for the Irish.
Ricky Reeth came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth and made quick work of the Bruins by retiring Belmont in order. Belmont plated a run in the bottom of the sixth, but a solid play by Jared Zimbardo in right field recorded the third out and forced the home side into stranding a runner on second as the Irish held the 11-6 lead through six complete. Reeth, meanwhile, continued his quality outing and made quick work of Belmont by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh inning.
Parker Brzustewicz hit a one-out double, and Brady Gumpf came in to run for the freshman. A pair of outs, however, stopped the Irish from adding to the lead in the top of the eighth.
Belmont used a single and a home run in the bottom of the inning before Reeth recorded a pair of outs with a strikeout and a fly out. Chase Van Ameyde then used two pitches to induce a fly out to end the inning with the Irish up 11-8.
DM Jefferson drew his third walk of the contest, and Jared Zimbardo punched a single into left field to get the Irish going in the top of the ninth. The double steal by Jefferson and Zimbardo advanced the pair into scoring position. Bino Watters drove in Jefferson with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 12-8.
The Bruins hit a lead-off double before Van Ameyde used three pitches to strike out the next batter of the inning. Two batters later, Van Ameyde dialed up another strikeout – this time with a full count – to give the Irish their second out of the ninth. The freshman then closed out the game with his third strikeout of the inning to preserve the 12-8 win.
Dylan Heine went 4.0 on the mound and struck out five in a no-decision effort. Ricky Reeth picked up the win after 3.2 innings of work with three strikeouts. Chase Van Ameyde closed out the final 1.1 and allowed just one hit with no walks and three strikeouts for the Irish while picking up his first career save.
Parker Brzustewicz went 3-for-4 with a double, a run, and an RBI. Bino Watters was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs, and two RBI. Carson Tinney added a 2-for-3 effort with a two-run home run, three total RBI, and two runs scored. Connor Hincks blasted a grand slam, and Nick DeMarco belted his first home run of the season with a solo shot. Noah Coy and Jared Zimbardo each added a hit, and DM Jefferson drew three walks and scored three runs.
The Irish (6-1) take on the Bruins on Saturday with the game time set for 1:00 p.m. ET for the second of a three-game series.