Heading into this weekends top 25 matchup against Virginia was going to be a big test for the Irish baseball team. After last nights 10-5 series opening win, which was the 3rd-in-a-row for Link Jarrett’s team, the national ranking has more than been justified.
FINAL: No. 25 Notre Dame 10, No. 21 Virginia 5
Irish win the series opener!!!@jsheridan__ tossed 5️⃣ innings of scoreless relief and the Irish crush 3️⃣ home runs to win their 3️⃣rd game in a row!!!#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/6d9XJPVPez
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
Early on the contest went back and forth, with the Irish taking an early lead with Jared Miller’s 2-run homer to open up the scoring.
TOP 3 | NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!
Jared Miller absolutely crushes a 2-run home run and the Irish have the lead!!!
ND 2, UVA 0
📹 https://t.co/x3PLQAFQuf
📊 https://t.co/zjA9n5wpw4#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/BwsWDJy8qV— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
The Cavaliers would then storm back to score 4-runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. The lead for the host team wouldn’t last long as a sacrifice fly by Jack Zyska then a Jack Brannigan single would tie the game and a Carter Putz single would give the Irish a 5-4 lead after the top of the 4th inning. Jarrett’s team wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.
TOP 4 | Irish tie it up!!@JBrannigan06 singles up the middle and @br00ks23 comes home to score!!
ND 4, UVA 4
📹 https://t.co/x3PLQAFQuf
📊 https://t.co/zjA9n5wpw4#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/0RDKXeA2Oc— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
The Irish would then extend their lead on a Niko Kavadas solo homer, his 4th of the year.
TOP 5 | YOU CAN KISS IT GOODBYE!!!@nikkavadas22 belts his 4️⃣th home run of the season!!!
ND 6, UVA 4
📹 https://t.co/x3PLQAFQuf
📊 https://t.co/zjA9n5wpw4#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/GyWLUHyYLC— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
Brook Coetzee would then hit a 3-run opposite field homer to give the Irish an ever bigger cushion, at 9-5 after the top of the 8th inning.
TOP 8 | OPPO-🌮!!!!@br00ks23 takes it the other way for a 3️⃣-run home run to increase the Irish lead!!!
ND 9, UVA 5
📹 https://t.co/x3PLQAFQuf
📊 https://t.co/zjA9n5wpw4#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/afzWpxGy55— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
Kavadas would then double in the top of the 9th, brining in another run for the final tally. The win pushes the Irish’s record to 5-2 so far this year.
TOP 9 | Another run for the Irish!!@nikkavadas22 doubles down the right field line to score Miller from second!!
ND 10, UVA 5
📹 https://t.co/x3PLQAFQuf
📊 https://t.co/zjA9n5wpw4#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/d00hZSAtTL— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 12, 2021
For the first time in the early portion of the season, the Irish have won the opening game of a series. They get back on the field this afternoon, as Notre Dame looks to take the series, which would be their 4th straight on the road dating back to last year.
https://twitter.com/ndbaseball/status/1370740507987566595?s=21