Box Score (PDF)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Another strong pitching performance by Rory Fox along with a balanced offensive attack led to a 10-0 (7 innings) win by the Notre Dame baseball team over visiting California as the Irish clinched a key ACC series on Saturday.
After a quick defensive half of the first, the Irish plated a run in the bottom half of the inning for an early lead. Bino Watters belted a double off the wall with two outs gone, and Parker Brzustewicz drove in Watters with a single up the middle for the 1-0 advantage.
The Irish then erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the second. Jayce Lee started things off with a one-out solo home run to right field. After the second out of the inning was recorded, the Irish were just getting things started in their at-bats. DM Jefferson beat out an infield single, and Davis Johnson was hit by a pitch. Carson Tinney then crushed a home run to straight-away center field for a 5-0 lead. Bino Watters kept things going with a single to left field, and Parker Brzustewicz added a double to left-center to put the pair into scoring position. Connor Hincks drove a single to left-center field as Watters and Brzustewicz both scored on the play. Estevan Moreno then launched a double over the Cal right fielder to drive in Hincks for an 8-0 Irish lead.
Rory Fox was close to unhittable on Saturday as the junior right-hander did not surrender a hit until the top of the fifth. The Golden Bears had a two-out single up the middle followed by a double to left-center field, but Fox induced an infield ground out to end the inning and keep Cal off of the scoreboard. The bottom of the fifth saw the Irish plate another run. DM Jefferson was hit by a pitch and stole second before back-to-back walks by Davis Johnson and Carson Tinney loaded the bases. Bino Watters bounced a ground out to the shortstop where the only play was at first for the defense as Jefferson came in to score.
Cal threatened again in the top of the sixth after putting a pair of runners on base with only one out gone. Fox, however, wrapped up a quality outing on the mound with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the shutout. In the bottom of the inning, Notre Dame picked up the key tenth run of the contest. Jayce Lee hit a single to center field, and Nick DeMarco drew a walk to put a pair on base. Two batters later, Davis Johnson punched a single through the right side, and Jayce Lee came in to score for a 10-0 lead.
Keenan Mork came in to close out…