Tag: Starkville

Mississippi State outlasts Notre Dame, eliminate Irish in NCAA tournament

Even with the loss, it was a great season for the Irish

After the top of the first inning, it looked like Notre Dame had the momentum after a dominating game two win. It just wasn’t meant to be for the Irish, as Mississippi State posted double digit runs en route to a berth in the College World Series.

Starter Will Mercer didn’t bring his A-game and it seemed like every time the Irish would answer MSU, the Bulldogs had an answer of their own.

After falling behind 7-1 after two innings, the Irish offense faced their largest deficit of the NCAA tournament and just couldn’t dig themselves out of it. You have to love the fact that they didn’t ever fold, Link Jarrett’s team played their hearts out to the end. It just wasn’t enough, as the Bulldogs used their 6-run second to cushion their way to the CWS. Tanner Allen hit two homers for MSU,

Jarrett tried to keep his team within striking distance, even bringing back game one starter John Michael Bertrand, who was magnificent in his three innings. The Irish tried to mount a comeback but it was all for naught.

The highlight of the game for the Irish was undoubtedly their best players efforts, Niko Kavadas. He absolutely crushed a ball off Landon Sims that left Dudy Noble Field.

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It has been a fantastic first full season under Link Jarrett, that shouldn’t be lost after getting eliminated tonight. This team won’t be the same next year, but if this is the kind of effort and results behind Jarrett squads, its going to be a very prosperous era of Notre Dame baseball.

Must see: Notre Dame’s Kavadas massive blast leaves Dudy Noble Field

WOW

It has been a tough series for Notre Dame first baseman Niko Kavadas. After hitting 5 homers during regional play, the single-season home-run leader in Irish history was held in check for the majority of the super regional series against Mississippi State.

Kavadas took out all of his frustrations on this pitch, as he blasted it out of Dudy Noble Stadium.

The homer brought the Irish two-runs closer to the Bulldogs as they try and keep their season alive in the elimination game of the Starkville super regional.

Ryan Cole’s solo homer gives Notre Dame lead in first inning

The Irish strike first on a long ball by Ryan Cole

Once again the Notre Dame offense has gotten off to a great start. Even though it wasn’t the lead-off batter, the Irish have scored every time they’ve gotten on, it was the second hitter of the inning, Ryan Cole. He blasted a fastball to the opposite field for a solo homer and an early lead.

With so much on the line, a trip to the College World Series, the ending of the season, it seems like Notre Dame does not want to go home.

The Irish will not turn to starting pitcher Will Mercer to guide them through the early stages of this game and hopefully continue their season in Omaha next weekend.

Tyrell magnificent as Notre Dame forces an elimination game three

The Irish battle back to force game three

With the Irish’s backs against the wall, head coach Link Jarrett looked to left-hander Aiden Tyrell to take the mound and stave off elimination for Notre Dame. It wasn’t pretty, after two batters Mississippi State held a 1-0 lead, but Tyrell settled down held the Bulldogs offense in check before getting pulled in the top of the seventh with one out and two on.

Reliever Alex Rao would get out of the jam but the story was the offense this afternoon. While Tyrell was holding the MSU offense down, the Notre Dame offense continued to stay hot. They immediately answered the run allowed in the top of the first with two of their own on a Zach Prajzner infield single.

The Irish offense would add an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before starting to pull away. Catcher David LaManna blasted a three-run shot to left as the lead grew to 6-1.

Two innings later in the sixth, Jack Brannigan got into the action as well with a two-run blast of his own to give the Irish a 8-1 lead.

The scoring wasn’t over for the Irish as they added another run when Ryan Cole scored on an RBI single from Carter Putz.

Even though the Irish bullpen didn’t get the job done yesterday, Tyrell made sure they got some rest with his long outing. Rao finished off the Bulldogs, forcing the elimination game tomorrow.

Regardless of how tomorrow turns out, we should all be proud of the effort the Irish displayed this year. Hopefully Notre Dame’s season doesn’t end tomorrow and they head off to Omaha and the College World Series next weekend.

Errors doom Notre Dame, drop game 1 in Starkville super regional

The Irish drop game 1 in Starkville

In a back and forth affair, host Mississippi State ultimately came out on top against Notre Dame in the first game of the three game super regionals. There were a lot of good omens for the Irish; 24-3 when scoring first, 33-3 when scoring more than three runs, but it wasn’t meant to be.

After leading 7-3 after the middle of the fifth, the Irish would only score one more time. The hosts hit three homers with Logan Tanner’s in the bottom of the 7th being the winning blast. John Michael Bertrand wasn’t as effective as he was last week, going four innings while allowing five run, four earned. Tanner Kohlhepp took the Irish the rest of the way but was the losing pitcher, while Preston Johnson was the winner for the Bulldogs.

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MSU closer Landon Sims went through the heart of the Irish order in the bottom of the eighth and then closed the door in the ninth after the Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. For a majority of the game, Notre Dame had the momentum, shutting down the MSU crowd while answering everything the Bulldogs sent to them.

What ultimately doom the Irish was their defense, which has been stellar all year. Uncharacteristic errors, four on the day, were the most the defense has made in a single game all season.

The offense did exactly what they needed to do, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough for the Irish to scratch out an opening game win. Zach Prajzner was the star of the offense going three for four, with two doubles, a homer and four RBI.

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The series is not over by any means, as game one proved that these two teams are evenly matched. Game two of the series is scheduled for tomorrow at 6pm CST.

Prajzner again, ties game for Notre Dame baseball vs MSU

Prajzner ties up game 1 late

The Irish saw their 7-4 lead evaporate into a 8-7 deficit after the end of the sixth inning. If we have seen on thing this spring from the Notre Dame baseball team is that there is no quit with this group. They showed that once again as Zach Prajzner hit a double down the left field line to score Jack Brannigan and even up the score.

The back and forth battle continues as this has been an extremely entertaining first game against Mississippi State in the Starkville super regionals. With 16 combined runs scored midway through 7 innings, expect more fireworks and hopefully the Irish end up on the right side of this show.

Prajzner’s 3-run homer extends Notre Dame’s lead over Mississippi State

A big blast by Prajzner

Although the Notre Dame offense didn’t get the lead-off hitter on base this in the fifth inning, the first time all game that didn’t happen, Zach Prajzner made sure the Irish kept their scoring streak alive.

The deep drive to left-center with two aboard extended the Irish lead from a single run now to four runs. The homer keeps the Notre Dame offense rolling, as they have scored a run in every inning so far this game.

The seven runs have come off 10 hits for the Notre Dame offense who is showing that last weekend was not a fluke.

Notre Dame scores again, takes lead back against Mississippi State

A back and forth battle in Starkville

It’s been a back-and-forth battle in the Starkville super regional. The Irish held a 3-1 lead after they scored again in the top of the third. Two errors in the bottom of the frame for Notre Dame helped Mississippi State tie the game up but that didn’t last long.

After Zach Prajzner doubled to lead off the top of the fourth, Spencer Myers drove him in with a single to center to chase the Bulldog’s starting pitcher Will Bednar.

The Irish bat’s continued to stay hot as they have now scored in each of the four frames early in this contest. They now hold a very slim lead over the Bulldogs as they look to take game one of this Super regional matchup.

Three-for-three, Notre Dame scores again to extend lead over MSU

More runs for the Irish!

Through just three innings, the Notre Dame offense has not let up. A run in each of the first and second was matched in the third as Jack Brannigan added a single to right to extend the Irish lead to 3-1.

The base-knock brough in Ryan Cole but unfortunately for the Irish they could not plate any more runs after having the bases loaded with just one out. Regardless of not being able to add-on more runs, the Notre Dame offense continues to put pressure on the Bulldogs pitchers.

It’s safe to say that if the Irish continue to score a run every inning, the results could be very good for Link Jarrett’s squad. When the Irish score more than three runs, they are 33-3 this season.

Notre Dame gets the lead back on Coetzee’s solo home-run

Brooks bomb!

The lead for the Irish only lasted a few batters into the bottom of the first inning, but John Michael Bertrand held strong after Mississippi State’s Tanner Allen answered with a solo homer for the Bulldogs.

The Irish answered quickly as Brooks Coetzee blasted his own homer to left and the lead went right back to Notre Dame.

It’s been a very exciting first inning and a half. If the Notre Dame bats continue to stay hot, they could very well be on their way to taking game one of the series.