Northwestern
15-15
Notre Dame
15-15
Liolios Ties Single-Season Home Run Record, 'Cats Defeat Notre Dame
4/8/2025 10:16:00 PM | Baseball
Notre Dame (15-15, 3-12 ACC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, adding an unearned run on an RBI double by 2B Connor Hincks to take a 1-0 lead.TRENT TANK ??
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 8, 2025
15th of the year for @LioliosTrent! pic.twitter.com/JmuaUnqu4m
Northwestern (15-15, 6-6 Big Ten) responded right away putting up three in the third to take a 3-1 lead. 3B Owen McElfatrick and CF Jackson Freeman recorded RBI singles to get the 'Cats on the board.
The Fighting Irish scored one run in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by C Carson Tinney to trim the NU lead to 3-2.
The Wildcats' bats stayed hot in the top of the fourth, adding three more runs to extend the lead. DH Zach Carlson led off the frame with a double, advanced to third on an infield single by RF Tyler Ganus, and came around to score on a wild pitch. LF Preston Knott capped off the frame with a two-run home run to right field, his fourth of the season to put the 'Cats up 6-2.
Notre Dame loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and scratched one across on a bases-loaded hit by pitch but couldn't muster anything more, keeping the Wildcat lead at 6-3.
Liolios' two-run home run in the top of the fifth scored Freeman to extend the Wildcat lead to 8-3. Liolios' 15th home run puts him even with Mason Neville (Oregon) and Korbyn Dickerson (Indiana) for the Big Ten lead and into a tie for second-most nationally.
The Fighting Irish scored four runs on three hits, two hit batsmen, and a walk in the bottom of the seventh to trim the Wildcat lead to 8-7.TRENT TANK ??
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 8, 2025
15th of the year for @LioliosTrent! pic.twitter.com/JmuaUnqu4m
In the top of the ninth, Preston Knott doubled home PR Griffin Mills to provide an an insurance run for the Wildcats and the final run of the game in the 9-7 victory.
RHP Amar Tsengeg worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hit, two walks, and one hit batsman, striking out four. RHP Jack Grunkemeyer (1-0) earned the win, allowing two runs on one hit, walking one, striking out four, and hitting five in 2.1 innings pitched. LHP Crawford Wade earned his second save of the season in 2.2 innings of work, allowing one hit, one walk, and fanning one.
The win marked Northwestern's first in South Bend since April 11, 2018 and the first consecutive wins for the Wildcats in the series since 2000-2009.
The Wildcats resume Big Ten play this weekend with a three-game series at Michigan State. Friday's game will be broadcast on BTN, with Saturday and Sunday's games on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grunkemeyer, Jack (1-0)
L: Kellan Klosterman (1-1)
S: Wade, Crawford (2)
Batting:
2B: Knott, Preston 1 ; Carlson, Zach 1
HR: Knott, Preston 1 ; Liolios, Trent 1
RBI: Knott, Preston 3 ; McElfatrick, Owen 2 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Liolios, Trent 2
SH: Counsell, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knott, Preston 2 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Liolios, Trent 1 ; Carlson, Zach 1 ; Ganus, Tyler 1 ; Markinson, Bennett 1 ; Mills, Griffin 1 ; Counsell, Jack 1
HBP: Markinson, Bennett 1
PO: Knott, Preston 1
Batting:
2B: Carson Tinney 2 ; Connor Hincks 1
RBI: Davis Johnson 1 ; Carson Tinney 3 ; Connor Hincks 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Davis Johnson 1 ; Parker Brzustewicz 2 ; Estevan Moreno 2 ; Connor Hincks 1 ; DM Jefferson 1
SB: Davis Johnson 1
HBP: Jared Zimbardo 1 ; Davis Johnson 1 ; Estevan Moreno 3 ; DM Jefferson 2
