Game Thread | (G3) Akron at Notre Dame
Akron (18-32) at Notre Dame (28-19)
When: May 14th
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Where: Frank Eck Stadium | South Bend, Ind.
Watch: ACC Network Extra
QUICK FACTS
- Notre Dame leads the overall series 4-0.
- Before this weekend, Akron and Notre Dame have only met at neutral sites (Jacksonville and Macon).
- Notre Dame is projected as a No. 3 seed in the latest Field of 64 projections by D1Baseball.
- Sunday is degree day at Notre Dame as the program will honor 12 seniors playing for the final time at Frank Eck Stadium.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
| SCHOOL | NAME | RECORD (APPEARANCES) | ERA | IP | STRIKEOUTS |
| Akron | LHP Sammy Tortorella | 4-3 | 5.35 | 70.2 | 64 |
| Notre Dame | LHP Aidan Tyrell | 7-2 | 3.17 | 54.0 | 44 |
Saturday
| SCHOOL | NAME | RECORD (APPEARANCES) | ERA | IP | STRIKEOUTS |
| Akron | LHP Brett Dietrich | 1-4 | 8.85 | 39.2 | 39 |
| Notre Dame | RHP Blake Hely | 3-2 | 4.57 | 61.0 | 60 |
Sunday
| SCHOOL | NAME | RECORD (APPEARANCES) | ERA | IP | STRIKEOUTS |
| Akron | RHP Joe Roth | 1-6 | 4.98 | 65.0 | 37 |
| Notre Dame | - | - | - | - | - |
OFFENSIVE STATS (Entering the series)
| STAT | Akron | Notre Dame |
| Batting Avg. | .243 | .248 |
| Runs | 271 | 265 |
| Hits | 390 | 369 |
| 2B | 73 | 65 |
| 3B | 14 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 44 | 56 |
| RBI | 237 | 240 |
| SLG% | .389 | .412 |
| Walks | 218 | 173 |
| Hit by Pitch | 52 | 75 |
| Strikeouts | 450 | 407 |
| OB% | .351 | .353 |
PITCHING STATS (Entering the series)
| STAT | Akron | Notre Dame |
| ERA | 7.63 | 4.56 |
| Hits | 496 | 362 |
| Runs | 417 | 229 |
| ER | 346 | 200 |
| Walks | 219 | 170 |
| Strikeouts | 300 | 368 |
| Opponent Batting Avg. | .298 | .242 |
- Notre Dame will take the field for the final time at Frank Eck Stadium this spring and it will mark the end of an era for 12 seniors. The program will honor RHP Carter Bosch, OF Brooks Coetzee III, RHP Blake Hely, OF/DH Nick Juaire, INF/OF Casey Kmet, C/DH Vinny Martinez, LHP Will Mercer, RHP Justin Moore, SS Zack Prajzner, INF Carter Putz, LHP Aidan Tyrell and OF Jack Zyska.
Coetzee, Mercer, Prajzner, Putz, Tyrell and Zyska were key pieces to Notre Dame’s deep postseason runs the last two years and the program’s return to national relevance. It’s a group that likely doesn’t have MLB potential, but they’ll be remembered for years for their grit, relentless effort and will to just keep coming back for more.
It’s also a group that will be missed next season as they’ve been staples in the Irish lineup for years.
Games Played
Carter Putz: 215 games
Zack Prajzner: 208 games
Brooks Coetzee: 180 games
- As for the game itself, Notre Dame has won both games, but it hasn’t been sexy or smooth. The Irish have struggled at the plate batting .200 in game one and .207 in game two. Akron has given Notre Dame free baserunners as the Zips have walked 14 and hit six batters, which is more than the 12 total hits the Irish have recorded in two games.
Now, the Irish are working through a major change to the lineup as third baseman Jack Penney left game one with an injury and was wearing a sling on his left arm on Saturday. Nick DeMarco and Casey Kmet have handled third base duties, but have combined to go 1-for-7 at the plate.
Shawn Stiffler has also gone with Brady Gumpf in leftfield over DM Jefferson who had all but taken over the job over the last month and half. Gumpf has gone 1-for-6 this weekend with a double and RBI. Jefferson did return to the lineup in game two and recorded a hit in his only appearance at the plate.
- On the mound, Notre Dame has been solid and the pen has been consistent. Notre Dame has yet to announce a starter for Sunday, but it’s likely RHP Jackson Dennies or RHP Carter Bosch. Dennies started last weekend and went 1.2 innings before getting pulled, which was likely due to a pitch count as it was his first appearance back from injury.
Notre Dame will also have access to whoever doesn’t start between Bosch and Dennies, Matt Bedford, Justin Moore and Sammy Cooper out of the pen. If worse comes to worse, RHP Radek Birkholz could probably be used as he threw just six pitches before Friday’s game was suspended.
All in all, Notre Dame winning the series isn’t going to make or break postseason hopes, but the senior class deserves to win their final game at Frank Eck.
*Lineups will be added when released.
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