Notre Dame ended a 10-game Miami home winning streak with a 3-2 win in the first of a three-game series on Thursday night. A three-run home run by Davis Johnson in the top of the third inning was the only runs Notre Dame needed to earn the win.
A Jake Odgen HR in the bottom of the third inning cut the Miami deficit to 3-1. Jake Kulikowski had a single in the ninth inning that scored Dorian Gonzalez to cut the Miami deficit in half in the bottom of the ninth inning. Bobby Marsh fouled out with Gonzalez on for the second out of the ninth inning.
Renzo Gonzalez hit it to the warning track in left field, where Jared Zimbardo made a spectacular catch, bumping into the wall to end the game. Miami and Notre Dame each had six hits and five runners left on base in a classic pitchers' duel.
Notre Dame starter Jack Radel had his longest outing of the season with 7.1 innings, four hits, one earned run, one walk and six strikeouts. Griffin Hugus pitched 7.0 innings, allowing only the three runs on the Johnson HR, with one walk and six strikeouts.
Rob Evans pitched the eighth inning with one strikeout, and Will Smith struck out the side in order in the ninth to keep Miami close. Tobey McDonough came in to get the last out for Notre Dame and earn his ninth save. Johnson was the only player for either team with two hits on Thursday.
Notre Dame and Miami will play game two at 7 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Friday and finish the regular season on Saturday at 1 PM. Both games will be on ACC Network Extra. Notre Dame will start Rory Fox versus A.J. Ciscar for Miami on Friday. Jackson Dennies starts for Notre Dame versus Tate DeRias for Miami on Saturday.