Irish Drop Series Finale to No. 13 North Carolina, 10-3
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Notre Dame (15-18, 2-16 ACC) and No. 13 North Carolina (29-7, 14-4 ACC) met for the final of the three-game series, but saw the Irish fall 10-3 to the Tar Heels. UNC finished the weekend remaining a perfect 23-0 at home.
INF Jack Penney led the scoring, recording a two-run homer. INF Estevan Moreno and OF Brady Gumpf each went 2-for-4 at the plate with both of Moreno’s hits being doubles and Gumpf also recording a double of his own.
Moreno’s two doubles on the day matches his career-high for doubles in a game (April 5, 2024 vs. Clemson and May 26, 2023 vs. Wake Forest) and brings his 2024 season total to 14. He entered the day with 12 doubles, T-10th in the ACC.
INF Connor Hincks added two more fielding double plays to bring his season total to 28. He entered the day tied for second in the ACC with 26.
On the mound, the Irish used an array of arms to lead their defensive effort, recording a combined six strikeouts. Starting RHP Rory Fox moved to a 1-1 record, shouldering the loss. The bullpen held strong over the latter four innings, only allowing one hit and not allowing any extra-base hits or home runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a quiet first inning offensively for the Irish. After a strikeout, OF David Glancy singled on a 3-2 count, but a flyout and a strikeout left him on base. UNC opened scoring in the bottom of the first by hitting a two-run home run to right field, making it a 2-0 game. Fox struck out the ensuing batter, and while the Tar Heels added a single, the Irish defense locked in to force two groundouts to end the inning.
It was three up, three down for the Irish bats in the top of the second inning. A UNC double, then an RBI single brought the score to 3-0. The Irish defense responded with a double play from Hincks to Penney and back to secure the second out. An ensuing groundout to second base got the Irish out of the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Moreno hit his first of two doubles on the day. OF TJ Williams was able to reach base on a walk, but a consecutive flyout and groundout sent the game into the next half of the third inning before either runner could advance. After two outs, an Irish fielding error and a walk allowed two Tar Heels to reach base. The next batter singled to center field, bringing in a run to bring the score to 4-0.
The fourth inning was brief for the Irish offense with all three batters grounding out in order. The bottom of the fourth was led off by a double to left field for the Heels. After forcing a groundout, UNC managed to score on a sacrifice fly, extending their lead to 5-0. After a single and a walk, RHP Tobey McDonough took the mound. Another walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored one, and a fielding error let in two more runs. A single led to a fifth run allowed, putting the Irish at a 9-0 deficit. McDonough delivered a six-pitch strikeout to escape the inning.
While the fifth inning was scoreless for both teams, Moreno hit his second double of the game and his 14th of the season. RHP Nate Hardman came into the game for McDonough, striking out two of the four batters faced in the fifth, allowing only one hit.
The Irish got rolling at the plate in the sixth inning. INF Simon Baumgardt reached base on a fielding error by the Tar Heels’ third baseman. OF Tito Flores singled to the pitcher, advancing Baumgardt to second with two outs. Gumpf then hit a single through the left side scoring Baumgardt, bringing the score to 9-1. Moving to the bottom half of the sixth, the Irish defense put on another impressive performance. After the Irish allowed a walk on a 3-2 count, Hincks pulled off an unassisted double play, his second of the season. A groundout following the double play quickly ended the inning.
Leading off in the seventh, Williams walked on a full count to get on base. Glancy sent a fly ball to right field just shy of the wall to record the first out of the inning. On the next at-bat, Penney launched one into left field – a two-run home run shot, improving to a 9-3 score. A groundout and lineout on successive plays sent the game to the bottom of the seventh, where the Irish defense continued to hold strong, retiring the side in order and keeping the Tar Heels scoreless in a third-consecutive inning.
Flores lined out to third to record the first out of the eighth inning. After a Gumpf double to left field, the Irish were unable to bring him home, stamping two outs on a strikeout and another lineout. The Irish would give up one more unearned run in the bottom of the eighth, due to a walk followed by a failed pickoff attempt and a wild pitch, bringing the score to 10-3.
With two runners on base in the ninth due to a hit-by-pitch and a walk, the Irish were unable to post any runs in a last-inning effort to close the deficit.
UP NEXT
The Irish return home to face Valparaiso on Tuesday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by a home matchup with Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Notre Dame will then host Boston College for a three-game weekend series at home. The games will be broadcast on ACCNX.
