Virginia powers past Notre Dame 20-5 in run-rule win

WVEC-TV

No. 13 Virginia defeated Notre Dame 20-5 in eight innings Sunday, April 12, at Frank Eck Stadium, using a powerful offensive performance to secure the series.

Virginia (26-11, 10-8 ACC) scored in every inning and hit six home runs. The top four hitters in the lineup each homered in the win.

Lucas Hartman earned the victory in relief, improving to a team-best eight wins on the season.

Eric Becker, AJ Gracia, Joe Tiroly and Harrison Didawick combined to go 12-for-19 with five home runs, two doubles and 16 RBIs.

Virginia opened the scoring in the first inning when Tiroly doubled to left-center field, driving in Becker.

Notre Dame (16-15, 7-11 ACC) responded in the bottom half of the inning, taking a 2-1 lead on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.

Gracia put Virginia back in front in the second inning with a three-run home run to center field, his 10th of the season, giving the Cavaliers a 4-1 lead.

Tiroly added a solo home run in the third inning, his sixth of the season, extending the lead to 5-1.

Notre Dame cut the deficit to one run in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run by Jayce Lee.

Virginia broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Didawick highlighted the inning with a two-run home run to right field, his third of the weekend and fifth of the season.

Both teams scored in the fifth inning, maintaining Virginia’s five-run lead at 10-5.

Jake Weatherspoon drove in another run for Virginia with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Virginia added three runs in the seventh, including a two-run home run by Becker to make it 14-5.

The Cavaliers closed the scoring with six runs in the eighth inning. Gracia drove in a run with a single, Becker hit a three-run home run, and Griffin Enis added a two-run home run.

Tyler Kapa pitched a scoreless eighth inning to seal the run-rule victory.