NUTTER FORT, W.Va. — Playing on their home field for just the second time since flood waters destroyed the surface last April, Notre Dame dominated Robert C. Byrd 13-0 in five innings. The game was shortened due to the ’10-run rule’.
Elias Gordon and Jalen Miller teamed up on a no-hitter for the Irish. Gordon struck out eight batters in three innings. Miller fanned three in two innings of relief.
“I am happy with the way we threw strikes,” said Notre Dame head coach John Calvert. “We struggled with that in the first game against Sissonville. We had eight walks. I told the boys if we can keep the walks down and limit mistakes, we have a pretty good team.”
Notre Dame scored a pair of runs in the first inning to lead 2-0. They broke the game open in the third, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring seven runs. The Irish added four unearned runs in the fourth to put the run rule in effect.
After falling to Sissonville, 4-3 in their season opener on Saturday, the Irish rolled over Trinity 19-1 on Monday afternoon. They played the bulk of their season away from home last spring due to the significant flood damage to Frank Loria Field. The Irish are scheduled to play 21 of their 32 regular season games at home this spring.
“Having this field, we have probably been on it 14 times already for practice and last year we didn’t have any,” Calvert said. “Playing on the road all last year was brutal.”
The Irish (2-1) feature a veteran group that claimed a sectional championship last spring before falling to eventual state champion Moorefield in the regional round.
“We have set the schedule up to play the best schedule we can,” Calvert said. “We even have Moorefield scheduled at Mon County Ballpark at the end of the year.”
Robert C. Byrd fell to 2-2 with the loss.