Notre Dame Baseball: Statement win by Irish to propel them to CWS

On Sunday, the Notre Dame Baseball team needed a win to stay alive in the Super Regional, and they got all of that and more.

During our preview of the Super Regional, we talked about how the Notre Dame Baseball team would be bringing some big lumber to Dudy Noble Field. Through the first two games, the Irish have scored 17 runs, this after a 9-1 victory on Sunday to stay alive and force a deciding Game 3 on Monday night.

Game 1 was a roller coaster ride for the Irish, as they seemed in control throughout most of the game, but a pesky Mississippi State team just would not go away. Down late, the Irish were in a worst-case scenario, trying to score a run against arguably the best closer in college baseball.

Facing elimination on Sunday, the Irish dominated, beating the Bulldogs by a score of 9-1, and looking like the better team in all facets of the game. Heading into tonight’s Game 3, the Irish should be riding high after such a convincing victory, and that momentum could send them to Omaha.

Notre Dame Baseball should punch their ticket to the CWS Monday night

The Bulldogs actually got out to a solid start, scoring in the first inning and taking their first, and only lead of the game. From there, it was all Irish, as they scored two in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back, breaking the game open in the bottom of the fourth.

The highlight of the fourth inning came off the bat of David LaManna, who blasted a three-run home run to give the Irish a 6-1 lead. Notre Dame would tack on three more runs to close out the game, putting on a dominant display that could have a rippling effect going into Game 3.

Overall, the Irish have shown that they are the better of the two teams, and with the way the lineup is hitting, you can expect a slugfest on Monday night. With a win, the Irish would be heading to Omaha to battle it out for a College World Series championship, and this year’s team is starting to look like a team of destiny.