Notre Dame 6 – Clemson 0 Game Summary
- Clemson ace Aidan Knaak was good, Friday, but Notre Dame’s Jack Radel was even better, as the 6’5 righthander tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Irish past Clemson 6-0 and take Game 1 of the series at South Bend, Ind.
- The Tigers put runners in scoring position in the first, second, fourth and ninth innings, but couldn’t come up with the big hit to plate a run against Notre Dame starter Jack Radel.
- Radel (3-1, 2.06), a highly-rated prospect, racked up eight strikeouts and scattered four singles without walking a batter. Clemson was held to just one hit over the final seven innings.
- While the Tigers failed to cash in on their scoring opportunities, the Irish delivered in the clutch, stranding just two baserunners.
- Knaak kept his club close, holding the Irish to two runs (one earned) over five innings to lower his ERA from 5.29 to 4.50. Despite the quality start, Knaak fell to 0-3 on the season.
- Southpaw Justin LeGuernic relieved Knaak and threw a perfect sixth before running into trouble in the seventh. Notre Dame (12-6, 4-3) took a 3-0 lead without hitting the ball out of the infield on a walk, sacrifice, infield single and throwing error. Two batters later, LeGuernic left an 0-2 fastball over the heart of the plate to Jamie Zee, the ninth-place hitter. The poor location proved costly as Zee lifted the ball high in the air for an opposite-field three-run homer to put the game out of reach.
- Clemson (18-5, 1-3) will try to even the series at 2 p.m., Saturday.
