Newcomers continued to make their presence felt on Sunday, as the Notre Dame baseball team rallied for a 13-10 victory over host Rice in Houston to complete the season-opening three-game series sweep.
Freshman catcher Carson Tinney’s first collegiate hit — a solo home run on a a full count — broke an 8-8 tie in the top of the ninth, and Michigan grad transfer Tito Flores made it stand up later in the inning with a grand slam in a game in which the Irish (3-0) trailed 7-3 after six innings.
Notre Dame connected for five home runs in the game, the first time the Irish had hit five or more in a game since an NCAA Tournament rout of Central Michigan in 2021. St. John’s transfer David Glancy, Tulane transfer Simon Baumgardt and senior infielder Connor Hincks also homered for ND.
Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen made his Irish baseball debut Sunday after seeing no game action last spring as an early enrolled freshman. He entered the game against Rice as a pinch-runner and capped a five-run seventh by scoring from second base on TJ Williams’ RBI single.
That put the Irish ahead for the first time in the game, at 8-7, though Rice (0-3) tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Lynch limited the damage, though, with ⅔ of an inning of work without allowing a hit or run, and he was credited with the win.
Williams, ND’s No. 9 hitter, went 3-for-3 with a run scored, two RBIs and a stolen base. Shortstop Jack Penney drew four of Notre Dame’s 14 walks and scored two runs. Flores, Baumgardt and Hincks also scored two runs each.
The Irish visit Florida International (3-0) next weekend for a four-game series that includes a Saturday doubleheader. Game 1 of the series is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. EDT (streaming on ESPN+) in Miami.
NOTRE DAME 13, RICE 10: Box Score
Freshman catcher Carson Tinney’s first collegiate hit — a solo home run on a a full count — broke an 8-8 tie in the top of the ninth, and Michigan grad transfer Tito Flores made it stand up later in the inning with a grand slam in a game in which the Irish (3-0) trailed 7-3 after six innings.
Notre Dame connected for five home runs in the game, the first time the Irish had hit five or more in a game since an NCAA Tournament rout of Central Michigan in 2021. St. John’s transfer David Glancy, Tulane transfer Simon Baumgardt and senior infielder Connor Hincks also homered for ND.
Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen made his Irish baseball debut Sunday after seeing no game action last spring as an early enrolled freshman. He entered the game against Rice as a pinch-runner and capped a five-run seventh by scoring from second base on TJ Williams’ RBI single.
That put the Irish ahead for the first time in the game, at 8-7, though Rice (0-3) tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Lynch limited the damage, though, with ⅔ of an inning of work without allowing a hit or run, and he was credited with the win.
Williams, ND’s No. 9 hitter, went 3-for-3 with a run scored, two RBIs and a stolen base. Shortstop Jack Penney drew four of Notre Dame’s 14 walks and scored two runs. Flores, Baumgardt and Hincks also scored two runs each.
The Irish visit Florida International (3-0) next weekend for a four-game series that includes a Saturday doubleheader. Game 1 of the series is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. EDT (streaming on ESPN+) in Miami.
NOTRE DAME 13, RICE 10: Box Score
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