STANFORD, Calif. – Opening a three-game ACC series at home against Notre Dame on Friday, Stanford (19-15, 6-13 ACC) scored first in the first inning, but eventually dropped a 9-3 decision to the Fighting Irish (18-17, 5-14 ACC).
After a 1-2-3 top of the first from sophomore Joey Volchko, the Cardinal plated a run on two hits just three batters into the home half of the inning to take a 1-0 lead. Trevor Haskins led off with a single before scoring from first base on a double into the left field corner from Jimmy Nati.
Notre Dame took advantage of an error en route to tying the game at 1-1 in the second, and Carson Tinney blasted a go-ahead two-run home run off Volchko in the third to hand Notre Dame a lead it would not relinquish.
Following the hot start, Notre Dame right-hander Jack Radel settled in nicely – facing the minimum from the second through the fifth to keep the Cardinal off the board.
Still trailing 3-1 headed to the sixth, Stanford drew within a run as Brandon Larson reached on an error, moved to second on an Ethan Hott hit-by-pitch, and scored on a double from Temo Becerra. Hott seemingly had a chance to tie the game on the play as Notre Dame’s left fielder struggled to corral the ball in the corner, but Hott was held at third and eventually stranded following a strikeout and a fly ball to center field.
Notre Dame added to its lead in the final three innings, plating two in the seventh, three in the eighth and one in the ninth.
Volchko, who dropped to 2-3 with the loss, pitched much better than his line showed, as the right-hander was charged with five runs (four earned) on seven hits and no walks with five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. The Cardinal used four relievers in the setback.
Radel was credited with the victory after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts over six innings. The right-hander improved to 4-3 on the season.
Ricky Reeth converted his second save of the season as the lone Notre Dame reliever used, tossing the final three innings and allowing one unearned run in the ninth inning.
Stanford will look to even the series on Saturday when the two teams meet for a 2:05 p.m. first pitch. Right-hander Trevor Moore will get the ball for Stanford, making his first start of the season. Notre Dame will counter with right-hander Rory Fox.