STATESBORO, Ga. — Jack Findlay got the final four outs, surviving a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Notre Dame won the Statesboro Regional with a 2-1 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday.
The Irish (38-14), the No. 2 seed in the regional, beat third-seeded Texas Tech twice by a run and No. 16 overall seed and regional host Georgia Southern 6-4 in winning a berth in the super regionals.
Advertisement
Notre Dame will face Tennessee — the No. 1 overall seed and top-ranked team in the country — in a best-of-three super regional next weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.
Findlay entered in the eighth with two outs, two on and a run in after Alex Rao walked the only batter he faced in relief of starter John Bertrand (9-2). Findlay struck out Owen Washburn to end the threat.
Advertisement
Parker Kelly singled with one out to get the Red Raiders (39-22) going against Findlay in the ninth. Cooper Swanson walked and Kelly moved to third on Easton Murrell’s flyout to right.
Swanson stole second and Findlay plunked Cole Stilwell on a 1-2 pitch to load the bases, but Findlay induced a groundout to first by No. 3 batter Jace Jung for his second save of the season.
Notre Dame took a 1-0 in the third when Spencer Myers doubled and scored on Ryan Cole’s single to left. The Irish scored again in the fourth when Zack Prajzner doubled and scored on a two-out single by Cole.
Texas Tech scored when Murrell doubled with one out and scored on Jung’s two-out single.
Bertrand worked the first 7⅔ innings for Notre Dame. He allowed one run on nine hits, striking out seven without a walk.
