Meet the Fighting Irish… A good, not great team
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Notre Dame
Mascot: Decorative Building Toppers | School Location: South Bend, IN | Conference: ACC
2024 Record: 14-9 (2-7, T-6th Atlantic) | 2024 RPI Rank: 17
2023 Record: 30-24 (15-15, 4th Atlantic) | 2023 RPI Rank: 58
2022 Record: 41-17 (16-11, 2nd Atlantic) | 2022 RPI Rank: 3
When? Where? How do I watch?
Location: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, NC)
Game Time(s): Thu, Mar 28 @ 7:00pm | Fri, Mar 29 @ 8:00pm | Sat, Mar 30 @ 3:00pm
TV: Friday (ACCNX), Saturday (ACC Network), Sunday (ACCNX)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Tell me about this team
Second year head coach Shawn Stiffler effectively used the transfer portal to create an experienced team with 10 grad students (9 of them grad transfers for 2024) supplementing another 8 seniors on the roster.
The ACC is incredibly stacked this year with 8 currently ranked teams and the Fighting Irish started off conference play with two of those, getting swept by both Virginia Tech and Florida State. The composure of the roster showed through last weekend as Notre Dame took two of three from Miami to get things moving right.
The offense and pitching have taken turns carrying the team through various portions of the season thus far. The team has an overall slash line of .283/.382/.531, which isn’t great by ACC standards but has been enough. Irish pitching is holding opponents to a slash line of .275/.375/.484 while sporting a 6.53 ERA.
For that pitching staff, the weakness is a lack of bullpen depth and a still unsettled weekend rotation. The Irish rank dead last in the ACC in strikeouts per game and are 13th in home runs per game.
Regardless of whether the bats are producing or the pitchers are keeping opponents off the board, the defense in the field has been there. Notre Dame currently ranks 3rd in the conference in fielding percentage (.983) – only one percentage point before conference leader Florida State – and are tied for second in the number of double plays turned. Those twin-killers are helpful.
The ACC schedule isn’t going to get much better for the Irish with NC State, Clemson, and North Carolina next up on the docket, but this is a dangerous and experienced team led by a solid coaching staff. They’re more than capable of making some noise and could be a dangerous team come ACC Tournament time.
Pitching Matchups
Thursday: RHP Sam Highfill (SR) — TBD
Friday: RHP Logan Whitaker (SR) — TBD
Saturday: LHP Dominic Fritton (SO) — TBD
Key Players:
Offense
CF T.J. Williams (SR) – .434/.527/.671, 8.4 BB%, 17.9 K%, 7-8 SB. Second in the ACC in batting average and first in OBP. Currently on a 6-game hitting streak, including a pair of 4-hit efforts. A very good defender, the bat catching up to the defensive skills for the 5’11 Maryland native should help improve his draft stock.
LF David Glancy (SR) – .273/.387/.662, 10.8 BB%, 18.3 K%, 2-4 SB. Grad transfer from St. John’s where he popped 24 HR over the last two seasons. So far this year leads Notre Dame in HR (8) and is 3rd in SLG. Like Williams, also is currently sporting a 6-game hitting streak.
3B Simon Baumgardt (SR) – .303/.396/.596, 12.3 BB%, 23.6 K%, 1-2 SB. Grad transfer from Tulane went hitless in last weekend’s series against Miami, but had multi-hit efforts in four of the seven games before that. Has only struck out once in his last 17 AB. Has a solid glove at the hot corner.
1B Connor Hincks (SR) – .315/.370/.573, 8.8 BB%, 22.6 K%, 1-1 SB. Started off his career at Virginia before transferring to Notre Dame ahead of the 2022 season. Only saw 10 PA over his first two years in South Bend, but is a full-time starter this year. The lefty hitter has five games this year with 5+ RBI.
Pitching
RHP Matt Bedford (SR) – 1-3, 4.56 ERA, 23.2 IP, 8.7 BB%, 18.3 K%. Is in his first season as a full-time starter and taking well to the role, despite being on a limited pitch count. Has yet to hit 70 pitches in any outing and last week against Miami (4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K) was the first time he’s worked into the 5th inning this year.
RHP Jack Radel (FR) – 2-0, 3.10 ERA, 20.1 IP, 5.5 BB%, 15.4 K%. The freshman from South Dakota has started each of the last two weekends with good results: 8.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Offers mid-90’s heat from his 6’5 frame.
RHP Bennett Flynn (SR) – 1-1, 2 SV, 3.97 ERA, 22.2 IP, 10.5 BB%, 35.8 K%. Grad transfer from Davidson where he saved 14 games over his four year Wildcats career. The top relief arm for the Irish sits in the low 90’s, utilizing a knuckle-curve as his out pitch.
RHP Radek Birkholz (JR) – 3-0, 4.67 ERA, 17.1 IP, 21.8 BB%, 25.6 K%. Control’s never been his forte, but he’s had a super hard time with it in 2024. Still one of the most frequently used relief arms on the team after leading the team in appearances last year. Has allowed just 1 run on 2 hits over his last 5.1 IP (4 games).
RHP Rory Fox (SO) – 1-0, 5.50 ERA, 18.0 IP, 10.3 BB%, 20.5 K%. The second-year player is a two-way guy, but so far has been used almost exclusively as a pitcher. Has had a rough go of it the last two times out, but did get a start vs Miami last weekend (4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K).
Quick! Fun Facts!
There have been 76 Notre Dame alums who have reached the MLB level, including 7 players who played at that level in 2023: RHP Joe Boyle (Athletics), RHP Peter Solomon (Diamondbacks), OF Matt Vierling (Tigers), RHP Brandon Bielak (Astros), INF Cavan Biggio (Blue Jays), INF Trey Mancini (Cubs), and OF A.J. Pollock (Giants, Mariners).
The four LHPs on Notre Dame’s roster have pitched a combined 1.0 inning this year.
NC State currently holds a 15-13 lead in the all-time series between these two schools. The two schools have only met once in the postseason: a 3-0 NC State win in the 2015 ACC Tournament.
The Key To A Series Win For State
Notre Dame doesn’t have a deep bullpen and they don’t let their starters run very long in games with the pitch counts. If State can show some patience at the dish, work pitch counts, and get the starters out of the games early, they’ll find some advantageous scenarios to put some runs on the board.
Prediction
Facing a team almost completely devoid of southpaws is a good matchup for a State lineup stocked with lefty hitters. The Wolfpack take advantage and secure their second straight ACC series win.
Outcome: The Pack take two of three.