Notre Dame fell to the Northwestern Wildcats 9-7 after battling back from an 8-3 deficit to bring the game within one run. The Irish move to 15-15 on the season and take on Boston College on April 11.
Notre Dame struck first in the second inning as graduate infielder Connor Hincks smashed a double to deep right center field to score freshman infielder Parker Brzustewicz. This run was unearned as Brzustewicz reached base on a throwing error by Northwestern shortstop Ryan Kucherak.
Northwestern responded with a strong third inning to take a lead, which they would never relinquish. The three runs of damage came off freshman hurler Kellan Klosterman, starting his third game on the hill. While Klosterman was hoping to improve to 2-0, he only made it through three innings. Klosterman recorded two strikeouts, but allowed three earned runs and three hits in the third inning.
The Irish fought back in the bottom of the third to close within one. Sophomore DH Davis Johnson was walked and promptly stole second before sophomore catcher Carson Tinney beamed a double down the left field line to score Johnson and earn his 24th RBI of the season. The next two batters struck and grounded out for the Irish to leave Tinney stranded at second, which left the score at 3-2 in favor of Northwestern.
With graduate pitcher Dylan Heine replacing Klosterman on the mound in the fourth, it did not get much better for the Irish. Wildcat DH Zach Carlson doubled to left field to lead off, and right fielder Tyler Ganus followed it up with another single that advanced Carlson to third. Then, a wild pitch from Heine allowed Carlson to score and Ganus to advance to second. Two batters later, leadoff man Preston Knott homered to right field to bring the score to 6-2 halfway through the fourth.
The Irish scored again in the bottom of the fourth after a series of walks before Johnson was hit by a pitch to score junior infielder Estevan Moreno. Trailing 6-3, the Irish needed to do some serious damage to battle back.
The Irish then switched pitchers again to senior Ricky Reeth in the fifth inning. The results however, did not change. Northwestern hit another home run in the inning to score two runners. Trailing 8-3, the outlook was bleak for the Irish barring a last ditch comeback.
During the bottom of the seventh, the late rally finally came for the Irish with a team effort. With two runners on from a walk and a hit by pitch, Hincks hit a single up the middle to score Brzustewicz. A wild pitch then scored Moreno from third and advanced Hincks to second. Graduate outfielder Jared Zimbardo then singled to left field to advance the two runners. Finally, Tinney hit a much needed single to left field earning two RBIs with Hincks and senior outfielder DM Jefferson scoring. This four-run push brought the score to 8-7.
Northwestern added on another run in the ninth off freshman southpaw Brady Koester to extend the lead to 9-7. Trailing by two runs, the Irish were unable to close in on the lead in the bottom of the ninth and fell 9-7.
The Irish will travel to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts to take on Boston College in a three-game set starting April 11. Friday’s first pitch will be at 4 p.m. on ACCNX. The next home game will be Tuesday, April 15 against the Valparaiso Beacons.
