Notre Dame pitcher John Michael Bertrand named a third-team All-American
Notre Dame has one of the best pitchers in the country. Point, blank, period.
Graduate student John Michael Bertrand was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Thursday, one day before he’ll get the ball and take the mound as the Irish’s starter against Texas Tech in the first game of the NCAA Tournament’s Statesboro (Ga.) Regional.
Bertrand leads Notre Dame in wins (eight), innings pitched (90.1), strikeouts (94) and ERA (2.39). He’s the main reason why the Irish broke the program’s single-season record for strikeouts. The team has 529 and counting, smashing the previous mark of 504 in 2006. He’s also one of the main reasons why Notre Dame is back in the postseason with a serious shot of making noise in it.
Head coach Link Jarrett was asked on the ACC Network Thursday morning what Notre Dame needs to do to be triumphant in a tough Regional draw this weekend. His answer? The Irish need solid starting pitching. They’ve gotten it from Bertrand in almost all of his 14 starts this season. Another strong outing Friday would set the table for a potential second Regional victory in a row, a feat never accomplished in program history.
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“JM cherishes all aspects of his pitching craft,” Jarrett said in a statement. “And he is not the only one on our staff that does, quite frankly. Every bit of his preparation from stretching and mobility work with Phil (Montano), strength work with Kyle (Jean), throwing sessions, bullpens, fielding work is done with focus. Chuck (Ristano) has really helped JM hone his pitching arsenal and stuff. He carries that preparation directly into his outings.”
Bertrand has performed on the big stage before. In the 2021 South Bend Regional, he pitched a complete game shutout in a 10-0 Notre Dame victory over Central Michigan. He was roughed up a bit in his Starkville Super Regional start, allowing four earned runs in four innings, but the Irish nearly held on to win anyway. Defensive lapses doomed Notre Dame in a 9-8 defeat.
This is Bertrand’s last chance to win college baseball’s ultimate prize. A few years back, having been cut from the Furman roster after initially making it as a walk-on, he probably didn’t think he’d ever have the chance to pitch in consecutive NCAA Tournaments. But here he is as an All-American with the ball in his hands and the whole country watching.
The Irish and Red Raiders get started Friday at 2 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
