Notre Dame did what many believed was unthinkable — the Fighting Irish eliminated No. 1 Tennessee with a 7-3 win in Game 3 on Sunday. It's a strong candidate for the upset of the season.
Upset complete! @NDBaseball dances on to Omaha!#MCWS pic.twitter.com/uWf0REhT6f
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 12, 2022
Despite being down 3-1 entering the seventh inning, the Notre Dame bats went to work. First, it was David LaManna sneaking a two-run home run out of the yard to tie the game. It was only his second home run all year — quite the time for it. The very next batter was Jack Brannigan who clubbed a solo shot to left field to give the Fighting Irish the 4-3 lead.
The bats were still charged up in the eighth, which was bad news for Tennessee. With two runners on base, Carter Putz sent them both home with a double to right-center field to make it 6-3 Notre Dame. Jack Zyska scored Putz with a single to left, extending the lead to 7-3.
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Everything you need to know for the College World Series
"One of the best teams to never win a national championship," ESPN analyst Kyle Peterson said of Tennessee prior to the bottom of the ninth.
Notre Dame advances to the College World Series with the series win. The Fighting Irish beat the Volunteers, 8-6, in Game 1, but were trounced in Game 2, 12-4.
