NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The two sides combined for 20 runs, and the Irish came out on top in a 12-8 final at Belmont University on Friday night.
Bino Watters ripped a one-out double to right field in the top of the first inning, and the freshman advanced to third with two outs on a wild pitch. Carson Tinney then crushed a 1-1 pitch well over the left-center field fence to get the Irish on the scoreboard. Dylan Heine, meanwhile, struck out a pair and retired a batter with a ground out to have a three-up, three-down inning for the defense.
The Irish were retired in order in the top of the second, and the Bruins used a two-run home run of their own to knot the game at 2-2. Heine retired the next two batters to end the inning.
DM Jefferson had a lead-off walk and stole second to get into scoring position, and Jared Zimbardo drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base with no one out. Bino Watters added a walk of his own to load the bases for the Irish. Estevan Moreno used a sacrifice fly to drive in Jefferson to put the Irish up. Tinney continued to have a hot bat as the sophomore laced an RBI single through the left side, driving in Zimbardo from second. Parker Brzustewicz added an RBI single through the left side of the infield to plate Watters for a 5-2 lead midway through the second.
Belmont used a ground-rule double in the bottom of the third to get a run on the scoreboard, but Dylan Heine retired the next two batters to close down any other scoring chances for the Bruins. DM Jefferson led off with a walk for the second time in as many plate appearances to start the fourth. Bino Watters drove a double off the wall, and Jefferson came all the way around from first to score. Carson Tinney drew a walk, and Parker Brzustewicz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Connor Hincks then delivered a huge blow with a full-count grand slam to center field for a 10-3 lead for the Irish. Nick DeMarco gave Notre Dame back-t0-back home runs with a solo shot to extend the advantage to eight runs.
The Bruins countered with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the fourth. Heine sat down the final two outs of the inning with a pop up to Noah Coy and a ground out to Estevan Moreno to end the fourth. Carson Tinney drew a two-out walk, and Parker Brzustewicz kept the inning alive with a single to put a pair on base. A ground out, however, stopped the scoring chance short for the Irish.
Ricky Reeth came on in relief in the bottom of…