Austin Temple notches a career-high 10 strikeouts as Notre Dame downs Pittsburgh 8-1, takes series
It was an evening to remember for Notre Dame pitcher and graduate transfer Austin Temple. For multiple reasons.
The fifth-year college baseball player, who began his career with Jacksonville, got the start for Notre Dame on Saturday in Game 2 between Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. He went 4.2 innings and allowed three hits and zero earned runs. Temple struck out 10 batters, a career high.
In addition to the top-notch performance, it was also Degree Day for the Notre Dame baseball team. The veteran squad had 16 players honored just before first pitch on a warm day in South Bend over graduation weekend. Temple was among them.
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No. 8 Notre Dame won the contest 8-1, the team’s sixth consecutive victory. They are now 31-10 (15-8 ACC) on the year. Pittsburgh moved to 26-22 (12-13 ACC).
Despite the standout performance on the mound from Temple, senior Will Mercer (1-1) got the win for Notre Dame. He came in for Temple in the fifth inning and pitched 3.1 innings of his own, allowing two hits and zero runs. The Irish pitching staff of Temple, Mercer and Matt Bedford struck out a total of 16 Panthers.
All eight of Notre Dame’s runs were scored by different batters; it was a true team effort at the plate. Catcher David LaManna, shortstop Zack Prajzner and second baseman Jack Penney had multi-hit afternoons. Penney was filling in for starting second baseman Jared Miller, who left the game with an arm injury. He could be seen in the dugout wearing a sling after falling on his wrist in an effort to save a passed ball.
The final game of the three-contest series between the Irish and the Panthers will take place at Frank Eck Stadium on Sunday beginning at noon ET. It will be on the ACC Network and is Notre Dame’s final home game of the regular season.
Temple’s impressive season in South Bend
The 6-4, 180-pound Florida native had just one year with the Irish, but he certainly made the most of it. Temple has made 10 starts in 12 game appearances with a 3.33 ERA. To date, he has pitched 48.2 innings and allowed 32 hits, 20 runs and 18 earned runs. He’s struck out 65 batters, second on the team only to John Michael Bertrand.
Temple arrived at Notre Dame with four years under his belt in Northwest Florida at Jacksonville. During that time he made 44 appearances and 25 starts. His senior year was cut short due to injury after two starts.
