Written by Claire DeMeo '24
chapel hill, north carolina – Notre Dame (15-18, 2-16 ACC) and No. 13 University of North Carolina (29-7, 14-4 ACC) played in a three-game series final, but the Irish finished 10-3. I was defeated. Tar heel. UNC finished the weekend with a perfect record of 23-0 at home.
INF Jack Penny led the scoring with a two-run home run. INF Esteban Moreno and OF Brady Gump each went 2-for-4 at the plate, with both of Moreno's hits being doubles and Gump notching a double of his own.
Moreno's two doubles that day matched his career high for single-game doubles (April 5, 2024 vs. Clemson, May 26, 2023 vs. Wake Forest), and his total for the 2024 season. There were 14 pieces. He finished the day with 12 doubles. , T-10th in the ACC.
INF Connor Hincks added two more fielder double plays, increasing his season total to 28. He entered the day tied for second in the ACC with 26 points.
On the mound, the Irishman used his versatile arms to lead the defense, totaling six strikeouts. Starting RHP Rory Fox took the loss, going 1-1. In the second half of the fourth inning, the bullpen held out, limiting the hits to one and not allowing any extra base hits or home runs.
how did it happen
It was an inning of quiet offense for the Irish. After the strikeout, OF David Glancey hit a single with the count 3-2, but a flyout and a strikeout put him on base. UNC took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run home run to right field, making it 2-0. Fox struck out the next batter and the Irish defense held firm, forcing two groundouts to end the inning while the Tar Heels added a single.
In the top of the second inning, the Irish batting line was 3 up and 3 down. A UNC double and an RBI single made the score 3-0. The Irish defense responded with a double play from Hinks to Penny, securing two outs. A subsequent ground out to second base ended the inning for the Irish.
In the top of the third inning, Moreno hit the first of his two doubles of the day. OF TJ Williams was able to get on base with a walk, but consecutive fly outs and ground outs sent the game into the third inning before either runner could advance. After two outs, an Irish fielding error and a walk allowed two Tar Heels to get on base. The next batter hit a timely hit to center field, scoring the score and making it 4-0.
The Irish offense was short in the fourth inning, with all three batters grounding out in order. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Heels took the lead with a double to left field. After being forced to ground out, UNC managed to score on a sacrifice fly and extend their lead to 5-0. After a single and a walk, RHP Toby McDonough took the mound. He then walked and loaded the bases. A wild pitch gave them one point, and a defensive error gave them two more points. This single allowed the fifth point, and Ireland fell behind 9-0. McDonough got through the inning with six strikeouts.
In the fifth inning, with both teams scoreless, Moreno hit his second double of the game and his 14th of the season. RHP Nate Hardman replaced McDonough in this game and struck out two of the four batters he faced in five innings, allowing just one hit.
The Irishman came to bat in the sixth inning. A defensive error by the Tar Heels' third baseman allowed INF Simon Baumgart to reach base. OF Tito Flores singled, and Baumgart advanced to second base with two outs. Gump then hit a single from the left side to score Baumgart, making the score 9-1. In the bottom of the 6th inning, the Irish defense put in another great performance. After giving up a walk to the Irish on a 3-2 count, Hincks converted his second unassisted double play of the season. A ground ball after a double play ended the inning quickly.
In the 7th inning, Williams, the leadoff, walked after a full count and reached base. Glancy sent a fly into the right field seats, just short of the wall, recording his first out of the first inning. In his next at-bat, Penny hit a two-run home run into the left field seats, improving the score to 9-3. Consecutive plays resulted in ground outs and line outs that took the game to the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Irish defense held strong, forcing the teams back in order and holding the Tar Heels scoreless for the third consecutive inning.
Flores scored a run on a triple in the top of the 8th inning. After Gumpf hit a double into the left field seats, the Irish were unable to bring Gumpf home, getting two outs with a strikeout and a lineout. The Irish gave up one more unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a walk, followed by a missed pickoff and a wild pitch, making the score 10-3.
In the 9th inning, a hit-by-pitch and a walk put two runners on base, but despite Ireland's efforts to close the gap in the final inning, they were scoreless.
next
The Irish will return home to play against Valparaiso on Tuesday, April 16th at 6:30pm ET, followed by Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, April 17th at 6:30pm ET. will play at home. Notre Dame will then host Boston College for three consecutive weekend games. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.