David Phelps allowed just five hits in six innings while not surrendering an earned run to propel the Irish to a 4-1 win over TCU. Notre Dame moves to 2-3 on the season and will conclude the weekend on Sunday with a contest against Coastal Carolina. First pitch is slated for noon. One more win and the Irish can travel back to South Bend with a .500 record and a successful weekend trip.
While Phelps was fantastic on the mound, he was aided by some early offense. Notre Dame plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Leadoff batter Brett Lilley was hit by a pitch and went to second on a Jeremy Barnes walk. Ross Brezovsky delivered the big hit, knocking a triple to the wall to drive in both Lilley and Barnes. Brezovsky went 2-for-4 on the day with 2 RBI’s.
The Irish scored a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Matt Weglarz doubled down the line in the fourth and scored two batters later on a Michael Wright fielder’s choice. In the fifth, Brezovsky scored when Weglarz drove him in with a double to make it 4-0 Notre Dame.
Phelps (2-0) wouldn’t need all the insurance runs. The sophomore right-hander did allow an unearned run to score in the sixth but he was close to flawless on Saturday to pick up his second victory of the year. Phelps got some huge help out of the bullpen. Joey Williamson relieved him and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit. Another positive was the defense. There was a passed ball in the sixth that allowed the only TCU to score but that was the only miscue on defense for Notre Dame. In the four previous games, the Irish had committed nine errors.