Newsstand: Notre Dame baseball carries nine-game winning streak into Duke series

On3 imageby:Tyler Horka04/14/22

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Notre Dame (21-5, 8-4 ACC) is going to have to start a series on a different note to stretch a nine-game winning streak to 10.

Two-time reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week John Michael Bertrand (5-0, 1.53 ERA) has settled into his role as the Fighting Irish’s Friday night ace. This weekend’s series at Duke (13-20, 3-12) is a Thursday-Friday-Saturday slate to leave Sunday off for Easter, but Bertrand is staying put as the Friday starter. Senior lefty Will Mercer (0-0, 2.00) gets the ball to begin the series.

Mercer has been strong out of the bullpen of late, but starting a game — let alone an ACC series opener — is new territory for him in 2022. He hasn’t started in four appearances this season. He started 11 games as a junior and four as a sophomore, though, so he should be ready for the moment — especially against a reeling Blue Devils team that has lost eight of its last nine conference games.

Duke entered the week with the league’s worst batting average (.243) and third-worst ERA (5.68). The Irish ranked sixth (.301) and first (3.01) in those respective statistics, and that was before a 14-5 drilling of Michigan at Eck Stadium on Tuesday. Head coach Link Jarrett has his team rolling, and going against a lowly opponent gives the Irish a better than decent chance of keeping it up through the holiday weekend.

The first pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday. Game 2 will get going at 6 p.m. Friday, and the series will wrap up at 12 p.m. Saturday. All games can be streamed on ACCNX.

Notre Dame tweets of the day

The father of four-star class of 2023 safety commit Adon Shuler tweeted a photo from campus.

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Notre Dame quote of the day

“He changed the whole program around. When he came in, workouts were at 6 a.m. Everybody’s in there. If you’re late, you have to do like 200 up-downs.”

— Former Notre Dame defensive back Shaun Crawford on strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis. Read more about the immediate impact Balis made on the program here.

Headlines of the day

Why Marcus Freeman implemented daily Notre Dame coaching staff meetings and how they have helped (Patrick Engel, Blue & Gold)

How Irish CB Cam Hart has ‘grown a lot’ coming back from shoulder surgery (Tyler Horka, Blue & Gold)

What has stood out the most during Notre Dame football spring practices? (Horka)

Latest mock draft churn has wide predicted first-round range for Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton (Engel)

Notre Dame players, Marcus Freeman share how strength coach Matt Balis has changed the Irish program (Ashton Pollard, Blue & Gold)

Can cornerback Clarence Lewis remain a starter for the Fighting Irish? (Horka)

Where does Notre Dame stand in ESPN’s preseason FPI? (Pollard)

Notre Dame CB TaRiq Bracy’s spring causing plenty of chatter (Engel)

WATCH: Reaction to recent Brian Kelly comments, Notre Dame recruiting discussion (Mike Singer, Blue & Gold)

Cover 3: Which confirmed spring game visitor is most important for Notre Dame? (Blue & Gold staff)

Lucky Charms: Four-star CB Christian Gray back at Notre Dame for surprise visit (Singer)

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