# 2021 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team

The 2021 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Irish played their home games at Frank Eck Stadium as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by head coach Link Jarrett, in his 2nd season at Notre Dame.

## Previous season

The 2020 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team notched a 11–2 (3–0) regular season record. The season prematurely ended on March 12, 2020, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

## 2021 season

During the 2021 regular season, Notre Dame finished with a record of 30–11 (25–10 in conference play) and won the ACC Atlantic Division. Notre Dame was selected to host regionals for the first time since 2004. Michigan, UConn, and Central Michigan were all placed in the South Bend regional with Notre Dame. The Irish won the regional with a final record of 3–0. On June 5, the Irish beat UConn in their second-round regional game by a score of 26–3. It was the record for the most runs scored during a playoff game in program history. The Irish advanced to the Starkville Super Regional, where they lost to Mississippi State.
Niko Kavadas set a program single-season home run record with 21, breaking Frank Jacobs' 1991 total.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at Notre Dame | Alma Mater |
| Link Jarrett | Head Coach | 2 | Florida State University (1994) |
| Rich Wallace | Assistant Coach | 2 | University of Central Florida (2004) |
| Chuck Ristano | Assistant Coach | 11 | Sacred Heart University (2004) |
| Scott Wingo | Volunteer Assistant Coach | 2 | University of South Carolina (2011) |

## Game log

2021 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball game log :
Regular season :
February
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC record
February 27at Wake ForestDavid F. Couch Ballpark • Winston-Salem, NC8–10Cole McNamee (1–0)Tanner Kohlhepp (0–1)Camden Minacci (2)2330–10–1
February 27at Wake ForestDavid F. Couch Ballpark • Winston-Salem, NC5–4Liam Simon (1–0)Crawford Wade (0–1)Aidan Tyrell (1)2781–11–1
February 28at Wake ForestDavid F. Couch Ballpark • Winston-Salem, NC10–0Christian Scafidi (1–0)Shane Smith (0–1)Alex Rao (1)4012–12–1 :
March
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC record
March 5at ClemsonDoug Kingsmore Stadium • Clemson, SC7–13Davis Sharpe (2–0)Tommy Sheehan (0–1)1,2802–22–2
March 6at ClemsonDoug Kingsmore Stadium • Clemson, SC3–1John Michael Bertrand (1–0)Ty Olenchuk (1–1)Will Mercer (1)1,2803–23–2
March 7at ClemsonDoug Kingsmore Stadium • Clemson, SC3–2Liam Simon (2–0)Mack Anglin (0–1)Jack Brannigan (1)1,2804–24–2
March 12at VirginiaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA10–5Liam Simon (3–0)Andrew Abbott (1–3)Joe Sheridan (1)2215–25–2
March 13at VirginiaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA12–4John Michael Bertrand (2–0)Paul Kosanovich (0–1)3546–26–2
March 14at VirginiaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–3Aidan Tyrell (1–0)Mike Vasil (3–1)Tanner Kohlhepp (1)3507–27–2
March 19DukeNo. 23Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN6–4 $^{(13)}$Tanner Kohlhepp (1–1)Matt Dockman (0–1)2108–28–2
March 20DukeNo. 23Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN6–2John Michael Bertrand (3–0)Henry Williams (2–1)2759–29–2
March 21DukeNo. 23Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN0–2Jack Carey (1–0)Aidan Tyrell (1–1)Marcus Johnson (2)3009–39–3
March 23ValparaisoNo. 21Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN6–3Will Mercer (1–0)Easton Rhodehouse (1–1)Liam Simon (1)7510–3
March 26No. 7 LouisvilleNo. 21Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN4–7Adam Elliott (3–1)Joe Sheridan (0–1)Kaleb Corbett (4)30110–49–4
March 27No. 7 LouisvilleNo. 21Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN5–3Jack Brannigan (1–0)Tate Kuehner (1–3)31511–410–4 :
April
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC record
April 3at PittsburghNo. 17Charles L. Cost Field • Pittsburgh, PA4–1Tanner Kohlhepp (2–1)Mitch Myers (2–4)Joe Sheridan (2)5512–411–4
April 4at PittsburghNo. 17Charles L. Cost Field • Pittsburgh, PA2–3Jordan McCrum (2–1)Liam Simon (3–1)21012–511–5
April 5at PittsburghNo. 19Charles L. Cost Field • Pittsburgh, PA11–5Tanner Kohlhepp (3–1)Stephen Hansen (1–1)21013–512–5
April 9No. 22 Georgia TechNo. 19Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN10–9Joe Sheridan (1–1)Zach Maxwell (0–1)30914–513–5
April 10No. 22 Georgia TechNo. 19Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN7–0Aidan Tyrell (2–1)Andy Archer (4–3)Alex Rao (2)15215–514–5
April 11No. 22 Georgia TechNo. 19Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN2–4Josiah Siegel (1–0)Joe Sheridan (1–2)Luke Bartnicki (4)12515–614–6
April 13Central MichiganNo. 16Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN8–4Alex Rao (1–0)J.T. Rogoszewski (1–2)11616–6
April 16NC StateNo. 16Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN3–2Tanner Kohlhepp (4–1)Reid Johnston (3–2)27917–615–6
April 17NC StateNo. 16Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN2–5Sam Highfill (3–2)John Michael Bertrand (3–1)Evan Justice (2)23717–715–7
April 18NC StateNo. 16Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN11–2Tanner Kohlhepp (5–1)Matt Willadsen (3–1)Joe Sheridan (3)18818–716–7
April 23at Boston CollegeNo. 14Pellagrini Diamond • Chestnut Hill, MA0–10Emmett Sheehan (4–3)Will Mercer (1–1)15018–816–8
April 24at Boston CollegeNo. 14Pellagrini Diamond • Chestnut Hill, MA5–2John Michael Bertrand (4–1)Mason Pelio (3–5)Tanner Kohlhepp (2)15019–817–8
April 24at Boston CollegeNo. 14Pellagrini Diamond • Chestnut Hill, MA13–9Liam Simon (4–1)Charlie Coon (1–2)15020–818–8
April 27ValparaisoNo. 14Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN8–7Liam Simon (5–1)Nathan Chasey (0–2)9721–8
April 30North CarolinaNo. 14Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN4–0Tanner Kohlhepp (6–1)Austin Love (5–4)17522–819–8 :
May
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC record
May 1North CarolinaNo. 14Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN13–12John Michael Bertrand (5–1)Shawn Rapp (1–1)Aidan Tyrell (2)27423–820–8
May 2North CarolinaNo. 14Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN19–5Tanner Kohlhepp (7–1)Gage Gillian (1–1)27524–821–8
May 7Florida StateNo. 10Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN2–5Parker Messick (6–2)Will Mercer (1–2)Jack Anderson (3)35824–921–9
May 8Florida StateNo. 10Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN5–3John Michael Bertrand (6–1)Bryce Hubbart (5–4)Jack Brannigan (2)30225–922–9
May 8Florida StateNo. 10Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN1–7Conor Grady (5–2)Alex Rao (1–1)30225–1022–10
May 11at ValparaisoNo. 15Emory G. Bauer Field • Valparaiso, IN7–4Will Mercer (2–2)Easton Rhodehouse (3–3)7026–10
May 20at Virginia TechNo. 13English Field • Blacksburg, VA8–2John Michael Bertrand (7–1)Peyton Alford (2–5)44827–1023–10
May 21at Virginia TechNo. 13English Field • Blacksburg, VA4–0Aidan Tyrell (3–1)Anthony Simonelli (5–2)Jack Brannigan (3)66428–1024–10
May 22at Virginia TechNo. 13English Field • Blacksburg, VA7–1Alex Rao (2–1)Ryan Okuda (2–3)Will Mercer (2)61929–1025–10 :
Postseason :
ACC Tournament
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACCT record
May 26vs. Virginia TechNo. 7Truist Field • Charlotte, NC8–0Will Mercer (3–2)Jaison Heard (3–4)3,02030–101–0
May 28vs. VirginiaNo. 7Truist Field • Charlotte, NC1–14Andrew Abbott (8–5)John Michael Bertrand (7–2)30–111–1 :
NCAA tournament: South Bend Regional
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordNCAAT record
June 4vs. No. 26 Central MichiganNo. 7Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN10–0John Michael Bertrand (8–2)Andrew Taylor (11–4)1,82531–111–0 :
All rankings from Collegiate Baseball. :

## South Bend Regional

South Bend Regional Teams :
| (1) Notre Dame Fighting Irish | (2) UConn Huskies | (3) Michigan Wolverines | (4) Central Michigan Chippewas |
| First round | First round | First round | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional final | Regional final |
| 1 | Notre Dame | 10 | | | | | |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 0 | | | | | |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 0 | 1 | Notre Dame | 26 | | |
| | | | 2 | UConn | 3 | | |
| 3 | Michigan | 1 | 2 | UConn | 3 | | |
| 2 | UConn | 6 | | | | | |
| 2 | UConn | 6 | | | | 1 | Notre Dame |
| | | | | | | 4 | Central Michigan |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | 4 | Central Michigan |
| | | | 2 | UConn | 9 | | |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 8 | 4 | Central Michigan | 14 | | |
| 3 | Michigan | 2 | | | | | |

## Starkville Super Regional

Starkville Super Regional Game 1 :
| (10) Notre Dame Fighting Irish | vs. | (7) Mississippi State Bulldogs |
June 12, 2021, 2:00 pm (EDT) at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi :
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| (10) Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
| (7) Mississippi State | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | x | 9 | 10 | 1 |
| WP: Preston Johnson (3–0) LP: Tanner Kohlhepp (7–2) Sv: Landon Sims (10) Home runs: ND: Brooks Coetzee (6), Zack Prajzner (6) MSU: Tanner Allen (9), Rowdey Jordan (10), Logan Tanner (13) Attendance: 14,385 |||||||||||||
Starkville Super Regional Game 2 :
| (7) Mississippi State Bulldogs | vs. | (10) Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
June 13, 2021, 6:00 pm (EDT) at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi :
* Team
* (7) Mississippi State
* (10) Notre Dame