Notre Dame baseball enters the Super Regional this weekend against top-ranked Tennessee and as a considerable underdog to the Volunteers that have put up a ridiculous 56-7 record this season.
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Let me make it clear – Tennessee is loaded. Seemingly every regular on their roster has hit double-digit home runs while eight regular starters have on-base percentages north of .400. Couple that with their three regular starting pitchers all earning invitations to pitch for the Team USA collegiate team.
Maybe Notre Dame would be better off just staying in South Bend and avoiding this all together.
But here’s the thing.
Notre Dame is a damn fine baseball team, too, and they know it.
Outfielder Ryan Cole met the media Wednesday and was asked about how Tennessee likely views the Fighting Irish.
“I couldn’t tell you exactly what they see, but if I were them I’d be a little scared,” Cole said. “I think we’re a very dangerous team.”
You can call it bulletin board material, poking the bear, shaking the beehive, or whatever else you want but I’ll put it out there that I like it.
What do people want Cole to say?
“We don’t have a chance and we’re really looking forward to the sight-seeing trip we’ll take to beautiful downtown Knoxville!”
Get out of town.
Cole is likely representative of the rest of his teammates and certainly his head coach, Link Jarrett. Even if nobody else believes Notre Dame has a chance this weekend the guys wearing the uniform certainly do and that’s really the only people that need to.
It’ll take an incredible showing over the weekend but here’s to hoping the Irish can shock the college baseball world.
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