Notre Dame was only down 5-4 to the Virginia Cavaliers as they entered the 4th inning, but that’s when things went off the rails completely for the Irish, and the game ended in the 8th inning with a 20-5 loss. The Irish went through 8 pitchers as starter, Dylan Singleton, didn’t make it out of the 3rd inning.
This ACC series loss makes it 4 out of 5 and three straight after sweeping Clemson. The next two ACC series are in Tallahassee against Florida State, and back at home against Boston College. The Eagles and Seminoles are 3rd and 4th respectively in the current ACC standings.
Notre Dame Baseball: Irish Fall in Rubber Match Against No. 13 Cavaliers
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame baseball team fell in a 20-5 (8 innings) contest against No. 13 Virginia in the Sunday rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium.
The Cavaliers plated a run in the top of the first for an early lead. The Irish responded in the bottom half of the inning. Mark Quatrani reached on a dropped third strike passed ball, and Bino Watters hit an opposite-field single to left. Drew Berkland added a walk to load the bases. Mason Barth went the other way with a single to right field to drive in Quatrani to knot it up. Jayce Lee then used a sacrifice fly to right field to put the Irish ahead 2-1.
Virginia countered with a three-run output in the top of the second as the lead changed hands again. The Cavaliers added another run in the top of the third for a 5-2 advantage.
The Irish responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Mason Barth drew a one-out walk before Jayce Lee drilled a 368-foot homer to right field to make it a 5-4 game.
The Cavaliers pushed four runs across in the top of the fourth and another in the fifth for a 10-4 lead.
The Irish got one back in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Logan had a well-struck single fall in left field. The Irish capitalized after a ball hit by Noah Coy was mis-played by the Cavaliers’ right fielder, which allowed Logan to score.
Virginia, however, put up runs in each of the sixth, seventh and eight innings for the 20-5 final score.
Jayce Lee was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and drove in another run for the Irish. Bino Watters went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Mason Barth was 1-for-3 at the dish with an RBI, a run and a walk. Brandon Logan went 1-for-2 and scored a run. Mark Quatrani scored once while Drew Berkland and Parker Brzustewicz each tallied a hit.
Dylan Singleton suffered the pitching decision after 2.1 innings of work with two strikeouts. Ty Uber, Oisin Lee, Aiden Zerr, Noah Rooney, Kellan Klosterman, Evan Clark and Garrett Snyder all made appearances for the Irish on the mound.
Notre Dame (16-15, 7-11 ACC) have a break from league play when they host in-state foe Valparaiso on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET at Frank Eck Stadium.