SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (21-20, 6-17 ACC) topped No. 8 Wake Forest (27-15, 12-11 ACC) with a resounding 11-3 victory Saturday. The evening was headlined by three Irish home runs in the first inning, complemented by five and one-thirds steady innings from starting RHP Jack Radel, who improved to 4-2 with the win.
OF TJ Williams, INF Estevan Moreno and INF Connor Hincks were responsible for the three solo homers in the bottom of the first inning, as Williams took the very first pitch in the leadoff spot for a trip around the bases. Moreno added another homer in the sixth, notching his fourth game this season with multiple home runs.
Radel earned five strikeouts on the mound, giving up just three hits. The bullpen won several impact at-bats, with RHP Will Jacobsen going two innings with three strikeouts, and RHP Nate Hardman closing out the game with two strikeouts in the ninth.
The victory marks Notre Dame’s first win over a ranked team since April 23, 2023 vs No. 8 Virginia (5-4).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first two Wake Forest batters were retired in the first. After ceding a walk, INF Simon Baumgardt snagged a foulout to end the inning.
Williams took the first pitch for a leadoff homer to put the Irish on the board. Glancy drew a walk, but was tagged out on a double play. Moreno then homered to put the Irish up 2, and Hincks took the immediately-following pitch for a solo homer, as well. A walk and a single put two on base for Notre Dame, but a fielder’s choice tagged Baumgardt out to end the inning with a 3-0 Irish lead.
Radel and the Irish retired Wake in order in the top of the second, with Radel closing the inning with his first strikeout of the day. After two outs to lead off the bottom of the second, Glancy singled, and sped all the way home on an RBI double from INF Jack Penney. Moreno forced an error to reach first, pushing Penney to third. A passed ball on the next at-bat allowed Penney to come home, while Moreno reached second. Hincks then doubled to score Moreno, putting the Irish up 6-0. Baumgardt drew a walk, and both Hincks and Baumgardt took another base on a wild pitch. OF Tito Flores took a HBP to load the bases, and a passed ball allowed all three to take another base, Hincks scoring Notre Dame’s seventh run. A strikeout ended the inning.
Both sides added a hit in the third, but neither team scored. In the fourth, each team went three up, three down. Radel added two strikeouts in the third and one in…