After losing all three games in the Florida State series, the Notre Dame baseball team scored a 16-11 comeback win over Western Michigan. The Irish improved to 12-8 on the season.
Senior outfielder T.J. Williams led the team with two runs and two RBIs. He had four hits in four at-bats. Graduate student outfielder David Glancy had three RBIs. Sophomore infielder Estevan Moreno had three hits during the game. Junior Radek Birkholz took the win on the mund for the Irish, improving to 3-0 for the season, while freshman Hagan Ward made his first collegiate start in Tuesday’s game.
Both teams scored four runs in the first inning. In the second inning, the Broncos pulled ahead, scoring three runs and then scoring two runs in the third. The Irish were able to respond in the third, scoring one run and making the score 7-5 in favor of the Broncos. Western Michigan scored one run in the fourth inning, while the Irish scored two to make the score 10-7.
The Irish were able to pull ahead scoring two runs in the fifth inning, five runs in the sixth inning and two runs in the seventh inning. The Broncos added another run in the eighth inning, ultimately ending the game with the final score 16-11. Neither team scored in the ninth inning.
The Irish finished the game with a total of 38 at-bats, 16 runs, 18 hits, 13 RBI, nine strikeouts and 10 players left on base.
Pitching-wise, graduate student Will Jacobsen took the hill for the Irish in the first inning and the start of the second inning. After two walks on Jacobsen, sophomore Rory Fox entered the circle pitching the remainder of the second inning as well as the third and fourth innings.
Heading into the fifth inning, Birkholz stepped onto the mound for the Irish, walking one batter and striking out the next three to end the fifth inning. He continued to pitch for the Irish in the sixth inning.
Graduate student Tobey McDonough entered the game for the Irish in the seventh inning, adding a strikeout for the Irish. Alongside him, graduate student Nate Hardman added two strikeouts in the ninth inning for the Irish.
The Irish will face Miami for their first ACC series of the season at Frank Eck Stadium on March 22-24.
