Notre Dame baseball rallies to take series with Boston College
Jared Miller blasted a grand slam to highlight an 11-run sixth inning as No. 13 Notre Dame rallied past visiting Boston College, 16-10, Sunday at Frank Eck Stadium to take the ACC baseball series, two games to one.
Ryan Cole added an inside-the-park two-run homer in the inning and Jack Zyska also homered in the sixth as the Irish (28-10, 13-8 ACC) answered Boston College’s six-run spot in the top of the sixth to move back in front, 16-8.
Miller, Cole and Zyska all totaled four RBIs on the day, while Carter Putz drove in three. Zack Prajzner and Jack Brannigan each had three hits. Brannigan pitched the final three innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six.
The Eagles (17-28, 4-20) committed four errors, which led to five unearned Irish runs. The Irish bullpen, without Seton Hall transfer Ryan McLinskey, is searching for answers and options.
Five ND relievers combined to give up nine earned runs on 12 hits and four walks over 5 2/3 inings on Sunday. McLinskey is out for the season after underoing Tommy John surgery this past week. He had a 2.45 ERA and three saves, striking out 39 in 26 innings.
Notre Dame canceled a three-game series next weekend at William & Mary, and now has a nine-day hiatus for exams before returning to action May 10 at home against Michigan State.
Saturday: Prajzner, Irish power past Eagles
Zach Prajzner’s first career grand slam capped an eight-run first inning as No. 13 Notre Dame cruised past visiting Boston College, 11-5, Saturday at Frank Eck Stadium in an ACC baseball game.
Jack Brannigan also homered and went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. Alex Rao (2-1) got the pitching win in relief, giving up a run on two hits and a walk over 3 ⅔ innings.
Boston College blasted three home runs, including two in a four-run fourth that chased Irish starter Austin Temple.
Friday: Eagles rough up ace Bertrand
Not only did Boston College come into South Bend and beat Notre Dame by a 7-4 margin in Friday's three-game series opener at Frank Eck Stadium. The Eagles, in just their fourth ACC victory of the season, did so by knocking around Irish ace pitcher John Michael Bertrand and tagging him with his first loss of the season.
Boston College jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Bertrand in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run by Barry Walsh and a three-run homer by Cameron Leary. The Irish scratched out a run in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single by second baseman Jared Miller.
The Eagles knocked the left-handed Bertrand out of the game in the fifth inning. Bertrand hit Sam McNulty and allowed a double to Walsh to start the inning. That's when coach Link Jarrett replaced Bertrand with righty Roman Kimball.
Kimball couldn't get the Irish out of the jam. Bertrand's two runners scored on an RBI single by Travis Honeyman and an RBI double by Joe Vetrano. Then an error by Miller allowed a third run to score in the inning.
The Irish threatened to cut into the lead in the sixth inning, but Miller grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning. Notre Dame rallied with three runs in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI single by catcher David LaManna, a balk that scored designated hitter Nick Juaire and an RBI sacrifice fly by third baseman Jack Brannigan. But the rally died with two runners left on base when center fielder Ryan Cole and right fielder Brooks Coetzee struck out.
Bertrand (6-1) allowed six runs on six hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Bertrand hadn't given up more than three earned runs in his first nine starts this season.
Notre Dame managed to tally 10 hits off Boston College starter Joe Mancini (3-3), but he only surrendered one run in seven innings of work.
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