ADRIAN, Mich. – The NCBA D1 team hosted Notre Dame for a three-game series at Nicolay Field this weekend. The two teams entered Friday tied for third place in the Great Lakes Central Conference.
Game 1
The Bulldogs started the weekend playing from behind as Notre Dame mustered two runs in the first inning via two walks and a single. Adrian cut into the deficit courtesy of a Gabe Swann RBI single in the bottom half of the first. The Irish offense built up a five-run lead over the next four innings, as they led 6-1 in the middle of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Kainen Smith drove home a run to make it a four-run ballgame. With two outs in the inning, the Bulldogs rattled off three straight hits, highlighted by a Gabe Swann two-run RBI triple to tie the game. Swann would score the go-ahead run on a passed ball, making it 7-6. The sixth inning saw both teams exchanging a run, keeping the Adrian lead at one run. An Adrian error helped Notre Dame even the game at 8-8 through seven innings played. Once again, in the eighth inning both teams traded runs, and the score remained tied. Connor Renau's three innings out of the bullpen, allowing zero earned runs, helped keep the Bulldogs in the game. The bottom of the ninth started with back-to-back walks and a single, loading the bases with no one out for the Bulldogs. Cody Priest's patient approach at the plate led to another walk, bringing in Aidan Furtak to give the Bulldogs a 10-9 victory via a walk-off walk.
Game 2
After an exciting game one victory, Adrian's offense jumped on the board first with an RBI double from Tyler Hall. Notre Dame took the lead in the top of the second, and the two teams exchanged leads in the third and fourth innings. Entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Adrian trailed 4-3. Dakota Clift singled into right field, tying the game at four apiece. A nightmare seventh inning defensively sealed the Bulldogs' fate. With two outs in the inning, two Adrian errors and a dropped third strike allowed the Irish to bring home four runs. The Bulldogs couldn't answer in the bottom of the seventh, and Notre Dame secured game two, 8-4.
Game 3
After the first two games were decided in the last inning, game three would be no different. Both offenses started slow, with the game being tied 1-1 after four innings. Connor Strong got the start on the bump for Adrian and went five innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, and no walks. In the top of the fifth, Notre Dame scraped across a run to make it 2-1. They extended their lead the next inning on an RBI single, leading 3-1 in the middle of the sixth inning. Dai Jon Brooks and Tyler Hall both drove home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Another Adrian error proved costly in the top of the seventh, giving Notre Dame the lead. The Irish tacked on another insurance run with two outs, making it 5-3. Notre Dame closed out the game in the next half inning, giving them the series victory and sole possession of third place in the standings.
Connor Reneau surrendered zero earned runs through four relief innings on the weekend.
