Notre Dame Beats Radford For Seventh Straight Win

The Fighting Irish offense continued its hot start as the Irish won their 11th game of the season at Radford.

Notre Dame continued its winning ways with a 9-8 road victory at Radford that improved the Irish to 11-2 on the season and extended the current win streak to seven games.

It wasn’t a great start as Radford jumped all over starter Dominic Cancellieri.

In the bottom of the opening inning, first baseman JD Mundy drilled a two-run homer to put the Highlanders up. An error by Irish shortstop Zack Prajzner allowed his counterpart, Colby Higgerson, to get on base. One batter later second baseman David Bryant drove in Higgerson with a two-out double.

Notre Dame wasted a lead off double in the second from first baseman Niko Kavadas, but the Irish got on the board in the third.

Catcher David LaManna and third baseman Jack Brannigan led off the third with back-to-back walks, and centerfielder Spencer Myers loaded the bases with a bunt single. LaManna scored on a Carter Putz groundout but the Irish could not add on after right fielder Brooks Coetzee struck out and Kavadas popped out to end the inning.

Prajzner redeemed his error with a leadoff double in the fourth, and he scored on an Eric Gilgenbach triple. LaManna knocked in Gilgenback with a single to tie the game.

Another error by Prajzner in the bottom of the inning allowed designated hitter Will Harless to get on base, and Harless got into scoring position with a steal off reliever Tommy Vail. Harless scored on a Sean Cheely bunt to put the Highlanders back on top.

Notre Dame’s offense exploded in the fifth. Kavadas put the Irish back on top with a two-run bomb in the fifth, his seventh home run of the season. Second baseman Jared Miller hit a two-out double and scored after a throwing error on his steal of third base.

Third baseman Eric Gilgenbach followed with a walk and scored on Brannigan’s triple, and centerfielder Spencer Myers knocked in Brannigan to cap off a five-run inning.

The pitching staff settled down after Cancellieri’s rough start, giving up just two runs between the third and eighth innings, but things got dicey in the bottom of the ninth.

Andrew Belcik walked the first two batters of the inning before being replaced by Brannigan, who immediately gave up a run scoring double to Carlin Christian, which plated two. Brannigan induced back-to-back groundouts, with the second allowing Christian to score. Joe Boyle came in for Brannigan and ended the game by striking out Mundy.