For the first time in 14 years, Notre Dame baseball owns a 3-0 record. Not even the 2021 and 2022 teams, which went a combined 10-5 in the NCAA tournament, swept their opening weekends.
But this year’s ballclub did it at Rice, coming from behind in all three games last weekend. Up next, the Irish visit FIU for a four-game series in Miami. The Panthers are off to a 3-1 start, including a weekend sweep of Long Island and a midweek loss at Bethune-Cookman.
The series begins on Friday and includes a Saturday doubleheader before wrapping up on Sunday.
Irish powered up ahead of breezy series in Miami
As it did in the improbable Knoxville Super Regional two seasons ago, Notre Dame blasted its way to victory at Rice. Of the visitors’ 21 runs batted in on the weekend, 12 crossed home by way of the long ball. Additionally, three of the seven Irish home runs — all in the series’ final two games — tied the score or took the lead.
In Houston, Notre Dame sourced power from its most and least experienced players. Five home runs, including the Saturday and Sunday game winners, left the bat of graduate transfers. Third baseman Simon Baumgardt launched two round-trippers, using the big part of the yard for a go-ahead, two-run shot in Saturday’s eighth inning. Outfielder David Glancy also crushed a pair, tying Saturday’s game with a solo shot in the eighth. Finally, outfielder Tito Flores mashed a grand slam that turned out to be the game-winner in Sunday’s ninth inning.
The Irish also received big flies from two players with a combined eight collegiate at-bats entering 2024. Senior infielder Connor Hincks ripped his first collegiate long ball early in Sunday’s game. Later that game, freshman catcher Carson Tinney gave Notre Dame a ninth-inning lead with the first hit and home run of his career.
Looking ahead to the FIU series, Notre Dame will slug in even warmer and windier weather. The temperature will range from 65 to 75 degrees all weekend, with a 10-15 mph jet stream blowing out to center field on Friday. For the Saturday games, the wind will settle down while favoring right field before breezing in from left on Sunday.
Three Irish arms on Stopper of the Year watchlist
After escaping a bumpy Rice series on the mound, the Notre Dame pitching staff received some recognition on Tuesday. The National College Baseball Writers Association named three Irish right-handers, junior Radek Birkholz and graduate students Bennett Flynn and Nate Hardman, to its Stopper of the Year preseason watch list. Just one other school, ACC companion Duke, has three pitchers on the list.
The three Irish arms validated their selection with their season-opening performance in Houston. Birkholz earned the year’s first win with three hitless innings in Friday’s 3-1 victory. Flynn and Hardman each made two appearances, combining to allow two runs in five innings. Hardman, an Evansville transfer, also earned the first two Notre Dame saves of the season on Friday and Saturday.
Hot-starting Panther offense seeking bounce-back series
Like Notre Dame, FIU is beginning this season with a second-year skipper in Rich Witten. The Panthers returned 18 letter winners from a squad that went 21-34 after an 11-6 start in 2023. That includes first baseman Ryne Guida, who hit .366 in 55 games last year en route to a second-team All-Conference USA selection. The Panthers also brought back their 2023 strikeout leader, senior southpaw Ryan Cabarcas.
FIU’s offense thrived on opening weekend, outscoring Long Island 39-11 over the last two contests of a three-game sweep. Junior first baseman Brylan West got off to a ridiculous start, ending both of Saturday’s games a triple shy of the cycle with nine combined hits. West hit two home runs on the series, as did Alex Ulloa, who hit both in the same six-RBI game.
But the unbeaten FIU start hit a wall on Tuesday in a 10-4 loss at Bethune-Cookman. The Panthers, who have committed six errors over the last three games, made three in the midweek defeat.
The Notre Dame-FIU series will begin on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. It will continue with Saturday games at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. before a noon start on Sunday. The Friday and Sunday games will air on ESPN+.
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