There’s a pathway, in Link Jarrett’s mind, for 14th-ranked Notre Dame’s performance in the 12-team ACC Baseball Championship this week in Charlotte, N.C., to turn into something bigger and better than just a trophy.
Specifically, a top eight seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would bring with it hosting privileges for one of next week’s 16 four-team regionals as well as for the best-of-three Super Regional round that follows.
No. 4 seed Notre Dame’s journey begins in the ACC tourney Thursday, already with lots of bracket-busting on Tuesday and Wednesday, and two teams set for Saturday’s semifinals with double-digit seeds.
The Irish (33-13) can be the third of four semifinalists if they can take care of upstart No. 9 seed Florida State (33-22) in a 3 p.m. pool-play elimination game Thursday at Truist Field. No. 1 seed Virginia Tech (40-11) and red-hot 8 seed North Carolina (35-19) play for the final spot in the semis on Friday at 7 p.m.
The Seminoles’ 13-3 pounding of No. 5 Virginia (38-16) — in a game-shortened to eight innings by the run rule — Wednesday in Pool D play eliminated the Cavaliers. It also turned their Friday 11 a.m. game with the Irish into little more than window dressing on each team’s résumé.
Not that a win there against the nation’s 17th-ranked team wouldn’t boost ND’s NCAA tourney seeding case, but the Irish can now leverage their best pitching for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, knowing Friday’s game is inconsequential to their advancement in Charlotte.
DI Baseball projected Notre Dame as the No. 11 overall team in the 64-team NCAA field heading into this week. Baseball America rated the Irish as the No. 12 national seed, with Virginia Tech (2), Miami (5) and Louisville (8) all in the top eight.
“We're basically one of two (teams) in the conference that’s in the top 25 nationally in pitching, scoring and defense,” Jarrett said in building his case for the ND’s seeding in the NCAA Tourney.
“I think we’re a complete team. We've won a lot of games on the road. … When you look at the balance of what a national seed looks like, I think we’re in the conversation. I felt that way last year, and it didn’t go that way.
“(This time) I think we’re in play. We have to play well here. And if we do, we have a shot.”
Notre Dame’s shot improved when third baseman/pitcher Jack Brannigan’s MRI came back clean earlier this week. Brannigan walked off the mound without recording an out and with his right arm in pain in ND’s 16-7 loss to Miami on Saturday night.
“He’s fine,” Jarrett said. “It’s just that he felt something he’d never felt. And everything is as clean as a whistle ... got an MRI. We just have to get him back in the fold and eventually back to the pitching stuff.”
Jarrett said he wasn’t sure yet whether Brannigan would play third base immediately or DH.
Second baseman Jared Miller continues to recover from a shoulder injury, but not quickly enough to play at all this week in Charlotte. Freshman Jack Penney replaced him and has been a revelation.
On the season Penney is slashing .340/.455/.756. But in the six games since replacing Miller on May 14 against Pitt, Penney has seven hits in 16 at-bats (.438) with four walks, three home runs, seven RBIs and eight runs scored.
Outfielder Ryan Cole suffered a slight hamstring pull in the Miami series and his status for Thursday’s game has yet to be determined. Spencer Myers and TJ Williams are waiting in the wings.
“We’re obviously trending in the right direction,” Jarrett said. “Everybody takes on water this time of year. I don’t think any team is 100% — and we’re not. But I think we’ve dodged some major issues and we’ve been OK.”
The No. 2 and 3 seeds in the tourney have been less than OK, as Louisville and Miami are already out of the ACC Baseball Championship.
No. 11 seed Pitt rallied past Louisville Wednesday, 6-5, and 10th-seed NC State outslugged Miami, 9-6. The Panthers (29-26) and Wolfpack (35-20) will face each other in Saturday’s 5 p.m. semifinal.
The probable pitching matchup for ND-FSU Thursday figures to be Notre Dame ace right-hander John Michael Bertrand 7-2, 2.62 ERA vs. FSU lefty Parker Messick 6-4, 3.05. The two combined for 15 ⅔ scoreless innings April 1 in Tallahassee, Fla., in a 2-0, 12-inning Notre Dame victory.
The Irish went on to sweep Jarrett’s alma mater in three games.
ACC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
May 24-29 at Truist Field, Charlotte, N.C.
POOL A – #1 Virginia Tech, #8 North Carolina, #12 Clemson
POOL B – #2 Louisville, #7 Georgia Tech, #11 Pitt
POOL C – #3 Miami, #6 Wake Forest, #10 NC State
POOL D – #4 Notre Dame, #5 Virginia, #9 Florida State
Tuesday, May 24
No. 11 Pitt 12, No. 7 Georgia Tech 6
No. 10 NC State 11, No. 6 Wake Forest 8
No. 8 North Carolina 9, No. 12 Clemson 2
Wednesday, May 25
No. 11 Pitt 6, No. 2 Louisville 5
No. 9 Florida State 13, No. 5 Virginia 3 (8 innings)
No. 10 NC State 9, No. 3 Miami 6
Thursday, May 26
No. 7 Georgia Tech vs. No. 2 Louisville, 11 a.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Florida State, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 12 Clemson, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
Friday, May 27
No. 5 Virginia vs. No. 4 Notre Dame, 11 a.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
No. 6 Wake Forest vs. No. 3 Miami, 3 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 1 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra)
Saturday, May 28
Pool A Winner vs. Pool D Winner, 1 p.m. (ACCN/ACCN Extra)
Pool B Winner vs. Pool C Winner, 5 p.m. (ACCN/ACCN Extra)
Sunday, May 29
ACC Championship, Noon (ESPN2/ACCN Extra)
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