Notre Dame baseball has started the 2021 season appearing to have been shot out of a cannon as they won each of their first three series and seven of nine games overall.
Finally on Friday the 15th ranked Irish were able to start their home schedule as they welcomed Duke to town for a weekend series.
After Niko Kavadas tied the game at four with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, the Irish slugger doubled to the start of Notre Dame’s half of the 13th with the game still knotted at four.
Catcher David LaManna did his job getting Kavadas to third base with less than two outs and needing a ball to just be hit to the outfield to win it, Ryan Cole did even more as his first career home run walked off the Blue Devils.
The hit that sealed it for the Irish!!
Celebration game was on point for @ryan_cole13's first career home run!!!#GoIrish x #Rally pic.twitter.com/wwV6qhjSC5
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) March 20, 2021
Will Mercer started the game on the mound for Notre Dame but didn’t have his best night as he allowed three runs in 3.1 innings pitched. Notre Dame’s bullpen picked up the rest of the squad, however, allowing just one run over the final 9.2 innings of action.
Joe Sheridan had a valiant effort in relief, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one run.
The win moves the Irish to an ACC-best 8-2 on the season and has them looking what would be their fourth-straight series win to start the year and potentially sixth-straight series win dating back to 2020 with a win either of the next two days.
Notre Dame and Duke resume action on Saturday with the first pitch set for 2 p.m. ET at Frank Eck Stadium.