Notre Dame baseball won its 2026 home opener on Tuesday, run-ruling Eastern Michigan 11-1 in eight innings. It will open Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend with an away series at Duke.
Eastern Michigan
On Tuesday afternoon, against the backdrop of a steely late-winter sky, the Irish opened their 2026 home campaign. After playing their first nine games in warmer confines, the Irish returned to Frank Eck Stadium for a 4:30 p.m. game against regional opponent the Eagles. The Irish acquitted themselves well against a slate of nonconference southern opponents and sported a 6-3 record going into the contest. Eastern Michigan, also facing chilly home weather, began its season with 12 straight games as the visitors. The Eagles arrived in South Bend at 4-8 overall after a series split at SIU Edwardsville.
Freshman righty Aiden Zerr got the starting nod from Irish coach Shawn Stiffler. Zerr escaped a two-out jam in the top of the first with a rare 3-1-3 putout. After pitching around a leadoff walk in the second, Zerr was replaced by senior righty Xavier Hirsch in the third. Hirsch inherited men on first and second with one away, but a liner to shallow right put the Eagles up 1-0.
The Irish responded with seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take control of the game. Freshman outfielder Brandon Logan knocked in second baseman Mason Barth to begin the rally. After two walks, a Mark Quatrani hit-by-pitch added another run. Sophomore designated hitter Bino Watters continued the rally with a single through the right side, scoring graduate outfielder Drew Berkland and sophomore shortstop Noah Coy. Sophomore third baseman Parker Brzustewicz joined in on the fun with a bloop single to score Quatrani. Watters came in on a walk, and sophomore right fielder Jayce Lee crossed home on a sacrifice fly, making the score 7-1 Irish after three innings of play.
Notre Dame added a run in the fifth inning and another in the sixth. With the score 9-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Lee hammered a triple to right field, scoring graduate Andrew Graham and putting the Irish up by nine. Barth, the next batter, walked it off with a short flare to right, scoring Lee and making the final score 11-1 due to the 10-run rule.
Hirsch, freshman right-hander Will Jaisle, sophomore submariner Chase Van Ameyde and freshman right-hander Garrett Snyder silenced the Eagles’ lineup with five scoreless innings in relief, giving up two hits and walking two while recording nine strikeouts. The Irish were led at the plate in hits by Lee and Barth with two each. Quatrani, Watters, Brzustewicz and Barth tied for a team-high two RBIs, and Lee showcased his speed with two triples, scoring three times as well.
Looking Ahead
Notre Dame opens ACC conference play this weekend with a road series against Duke. The Blue Devils carry a 12-3 overall record in coach Corey Muscara’s first year at the helm. Muscara’s squad boasts a potent offensive attack anchored by red-hot outfielder Cider Canon, who leads the Blue Devils in all hitting categories and is slashing .452/.574/.952 on the year.
Pitching has been a strength for the Blue Devils, with the team giving up just 56 runs across 15 games thus far. Muscara has leaned on Aidan Weaver for Friday night duties, who sports a 3.18 ERA and is expected to duel Irish ace Jack Radel. With fourth starter Andy Leon (1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP) out-pitching Saturday starter Matthew Nochowitz (6.92 ERA, 13 IP), look for Muscara to tap the Columbia transfer for Saturday’s contest against the Irish. Ben Dean (2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP) has been solid and is expected to start for the Blue Devils on Sunday.
Notre Dame is 0-3 in ACC opening series under Stiffler with a 1-8 record in those games. This weekend represents a great opportunity to end that streak as the Irish have won five straight games dating back to their 9-8 comeback victory over Indiana on Feb. 22. They’ll look to keep the streak alive against a strong, but relatively unchallenged-to-date, Duke squad.
As long as the Irish continue to get quality starts from Radel and Sunday starter Ty Uber, they’ll keep pace with Duke. At the plate, look for Quatrani (.559/.614/1.029) to stay hotter than hot, and Coy (.464 AVG, 14R) to continue to be a spark-plug for the Irish lineup. If they continue their patient approach at the plate and get on base for key hits from Quatrani, Coy and Watters as they did against Tennessee Tech and Eastern Michigan, the Irish will prove tough to beat in Durham.
