The Jackets baseball program completed their first ACC series sweep since the 2022 season when visiting the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This performance in the ACC is Tech’s best in 14 years, which began with two wins in each series against the Virginia Tech Hokies and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, netting the Institute a No. 19 Ranking, per Perfect Game.
The bullpen has combined with a well-rounded offense to yield Tech’s first ranking in the past three seasons. Graduate RHP Mason Patel is currently posting a 0.61 earned run average (ERA), while the pitching staff has struck out 255 batters and only walked 94 in comparison. The program has hit the most doubles in the NCAA, as four Jackets have reached or surpassed 10 doubles on the season thus far.
After sophomore center fielder Drew Burress collected his first ACC Player of the Week honors for his efforts in the Pitt series, Tech rolled through the Gardner–Webb University Runnin’ Bulldogs in a 14-6 routing where Burress got four runners batted in (RBIs). This win stoked the Jackets’ winning fire and provided momentum for the team’s trip to South Bend, Ind.
The offense started hot against the Fighting Irish — by the fourth inning, the Jackets had already put 10 runs on the scoreboard. Tech’s player of the game was junior shortstop Kyle Lodise, who led the charge through his single-game career-high three home runs, the most by a Jacket since Burress’ four homers in the 2024 season. Freshman left fielder Caleb Daniel had an impressive game as he scored five times and was a triple away from hitting for the cycle, including his second collegiate home run in the ninth inning. The Jackets finished with 18 runs scored on 17 hits and 12 walks drawn.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher (RHP) Tate McKee held the mound for five innings where he struck out seven of 20 batters faced with three earned runs. McKee’s showing earned a win, his fourth of the season. Notre Dame began to stage a comeback in the sixth inning when freshman RHP Ryan Johnson relieved McKee, and the Fighting Irish scored three runs without a single out. Junior left-handed pitcher (LHP) Brett Barfield seized control of the game in the sixth inning to earn his first career save, striking out five of his 13 batters faced to give Tech an 18-7 victory in eight innings.
Lodise continued his home run showcase at Notre Dame by knocking his fourth of the weekend in the sixth inning. The Jackets had a five-run fifth inning marked by freshman second baseman Will Baker hitting his first collegiate homer, the fourth freshman to hit a home run this season alongside Alex Hernandez, Drew Rogers and Daniel. First baseman Hernandez earned his 11th game with multiple hits this season while collecting an RBI.
The bullpen won this game for Tech. Junior RHP Brady Jones posted a strong display as he struck out five consecutive Notre Dame players in his 2.1 innings pitched, giving up two earned runs with another run off an error. The win was given to graduate RHP Patel whose career-high 6.2 innings pitched were highlighted by seven strikeouts and only his second earned run of the season. The Fighting Irish scored another run off an error late in the game, but the Jackets held on for a 9-5 victory.
Tech completed the sweep with a 10-2 late-inning triumph despite taking the lead in the first inning. Sophomore catcher Vahn Lackey scored two runs on an infield single to add to his strong series, where he has collected seven RBIs. The bats cooled off until the seventh inning in which Tech scored four runs to retake the lead. In the ninth, the Jackets piled on another three runs to clinch the game.
Four pitchers were deployed by the Institute to claim victory through amassing a season-high 14 strikeouts. Redshirt sophomore RHP Riley Stanford got the bullpen started with three strikeouts and a single earned run in his three innings pitched, with Notre Dame taking another run off an error before fellow redshirt sophomore RHP Caden Gaudette struck two out in the fourth inning. The fifth inning saw graduate RHP Jaylen Paden take over and strike out five of the Fighting Irish in three innings, with junior RHP Caden Spivey closing the final two innings and collecting four strikeouts.
Head coach Danny Hall became the 10th winningest coach in Division 1 college baseball history with the Jackets’ second win over Pitt on Saturday, March 15. Under Hall, Tech has won over 1200 games posting a winning percentage of 64.7 and 57.3 in the regular season and conference games, respectively.
After traveling to Kennesaw State on Tuesday, March 25, the Jackets will host the No. 3 ranked Clemson University Tigers to continue their ACC conquest in a three-game series.
The post Jackets ranked No. 19 after Fighting Irish sweep appeared first on Technique.