SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (25-21, 9-18 ACC) took the series win with an 8-6 victory over Pitt (19-25, 6-18 ACC) on Sunday.
OF David Glancy stole the show in the series, batting .583 on the weekend with seven hits, three doubles, a home run, five RBI and six putouts in the outfield, including two game-defining snags on Sunday, both in the seventh inning.
Sunday’s victory was a group effort at the plate, as Glancy, INF Estevan Moreno and INF Connor Hincks all posted multi-hit games, with Moreno hitting two doubles.
RHP Rory Fox started for Notre Dame, going five innings with three strikeouts to earn the win. RHP Nate Hardman pitched the ninth inning to close the game for the Irish, dealing two strikeouts and earning his fifth save of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Pitt led off with two singles, but Fox struck out the next batter. A flyout and tag-out on a fielder’s choice sent the Irish to bat. Glancy drew a walk to lead the Irish off and got to second on a groundout. Moreno doubled to score Glancy and put the Irish on the board. Hincks singled to put Moreno on third, and INF Simon Baumgardt singled to bring Moreno in. Both Hincks and Baumgardt advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch, and OF Tito Flores walked to load the bases. OF Brady Gumpf then doubled to score Hincks and Baumgardt, putting the Irish up four. Later in the inning, Flores sped home on a passed ball, and the inning ended with the Irish up 5-0.
Fox forced a three up, three down for Pitt in the second, ending the top of the inning on another strikeout. Having batted through the lineup in the first, Glancy again led off in the second, singling through the left side. Penney forced an error, and both runners were safe on base. Moreno then sent his second double to score Glancy, and Hincks followed with a single to score both Penney and Moreno, giving the Irish an 8-0 lead heading to the third.
After an out in the third, Pitt singled and took a HBP. Fox dealt another strikeout, but an ensuing double scored two runs for the Panthers. Notre Dame went three up, three down in the bottom of the inning to keep the score at 8-2.
Fox and the Irish sat Pitt down in order in the fourth. Glancy led off the fourth with a single but was tagged out on a fielder’s choice. Two strikeouts ended the inning.
Pitt led off the fifth with a single, but the next batter lined out to Moreno, who dished to Hincks at first for the double play, Notre Dame’s 42nd double play of the season (Hincks leads all ACC players with 41 fielding double plays). Notre Dame went three up, three down in the bottom of the inning.
RHP Caden Spivey entered to pitch for the Irish to begin the sixth. After a popup, Pitt singled, followed by two walks to load the bases. A third walk brought in a run, and a single scored another. The Panthers hit a sac fly for their third run of the inning, and RHP Bennett Flynn entered to pitch for Notre Dame. After a walk, a flyout ended the top of the sixth at 8-5. The Irish were unable to extend the lead in the bottom half.
Pitt drew a walk and notched a single in the seventh, but was unable to score due to two impressive plays by Glancy in left field. The catch to end the inning came on a leaping grab up the wall. Notre Dame was also held scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers doubled to lead off the eighth, and the runner took third on a groundout. Another groundout scored Pitt’s sixth run of the day, and a flyout ended the inning. The Irish sat down in order in the eighth.
Hardman entered to close the game, delivering two strikeouts while sitting Pitt down in order to secure the 8-6 win.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame heads into its final week at home with a weekend series vs. Toledo. All games will be broadcast on ACCNX. On Saturday, May 11, the Irish will celebrate Degree Day, honoring all student-athletes who will earn their degree this year. Those individuals will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.