A Look at Notre Dame Ahead of Tennessee's Super Regional

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– Top-ranked Tennessee Baseball (56-7) is set to take on Notre Dame (38-14) in Lindsey Nelson Stadium this weekend for the NCAA Super Regional Tournament. 

Tennessee enters the weekend coming off a 3-0 sweep in the Knoxville Regional while Notre Dame did the same in the Statesboro Regional. 

The Vols and Fighting Irish will kickoff the weekend on Friday at 6 p.m. ET in Knoxville. ESPN2 has the broadcast. Game two will be broadcast to ESPN, and first pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET. 

Last weekend, the Vols faced teams that had incredible hitting lineups but shallow/poor pitching staffs. It's the complete opposite this weekend, as Notre Dame comes into Knoxville rocking one of the best pitching staffs in the country. 

The Fighting Irish pitching staff ranks seventh in ERA and 10th in WHIP. The Vols are number one in both of those areas, but it is not often Tennessee comes across a foe that can potentially rival their own staff.  Of course, Notre Dame's pitching will have their hands full more-so than Tennessee, as the Vols' lineup ranks first in HRs and 11th in batting average. Notre Dame ranks tied for 78th and 51st in those respective areas. 

Notre Dame Arms to Know

Starter Gr. Student LHP: John Michael Bertrand

Stats: 9-2, 2.27 ERA, 16 GS, 16 App, 99.0 IP, 83 H, 25 ER, 19 BB, 103 K, .223 b/avg

Bertand has been Notre Dame's Friday night ace all season, but due to the fact Bertrand threw in Notre Dame's Regional Championship against Texas Tech, he will not start until Saturday's game. Bertrand was limited to throwing a low number of pitches on Friday due to a weather delay. 

The All-ACC First-Team Pitcher (for the second straight year) will be one of the top arms the Vols will have faced all postseason, right up there with fellow Irish starter Austin Temple. 

Bertrand finished third in the ACC in ERA. The Irish ace led the team in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA (2.39) in the regular season. 

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Starter Gr. Student RHP: Austin Temple

Stats: 4-1, 3.46 ERA, 13 GS, 16 App, 65.0 IP, 45 H, 25 ER, 31 BB, 86 K, .196 b/avg, 2 Saves

Temple will be the day one starter for Notre Dame this weekend. The graduate senior has mostly started on the second game of series, but due to Bertrand's situation, ND head coach Link Jarrett will give Temple the ball to start on Friday. 

When Tony Vitello was asked about Notre Dame's pitching staff, Tennessee's head coach mentioned Temple. 

"We’ll worry about Friday for now with (Austin) Temple," Vitello said on the entirety of Notre Dame's pitching for the weekend. "He likes to spin it, but also the fastball doesn’t lie either."

Other Notre Dame arms to know are potential starters/relievers LHP Jack Findlay (5-2, 2.11 ERA, 8 GS, 16 App, 38.1 IP), LHP Aidan Tyrell (5-1, 3.60 ERA, 5 GS, 25 App, 45.0 IP), and RHP Liam Simon (2-0, 4.67 ERA, 5 GS, 14 App, 27.0 IP).

Additional bullpen arms to know are Gr. Student RHP Ryan McLinsky (0-1, 2.42 ERA) and RHP Alex Rao (2-1, 3.76 ERA)

Key Bats for the Irish

Notre Dame's pitching staff is undoubtedly the highlight of the roster, but there are a couple bats to know on Tennessee's Super Regional opponent. 

Graduate Student C David LaManna (.359 avg., .430 ob%, 47 H, 23 RBI)

Senior 1B Carter Putz (.330 avg., .388 ob%, 71 H, 42 RBI, 49 runs scored, .493 slg.%)

Leadoff man Graduate Student LF Ryan Cole (.323 avg., .448 ob%, 9 HR, 61 H, 33 RBI, 20 stolen bases on 21 attempts)

Senior SS Zack Prajzner (.301 avg., .367 ob%, 55 H, 34 RBI, 43 runs scored)

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As you can see with the amount of graduate students that have made significant impacts for Notre Dame this season, the Irish are led by a bunch of veterans. The Irish advanced to a Super Regional last year, but they ran into the soon to be College World Series Champions Mississippi State in the Starkville Supers. 

The top two arms for Notre Dame are transfers, but outside from Bertrand and Temple, the majority of the Irish roster is looking to advance to Omaha this time around. 

Notre Dame's pitching staff is deep, and it will be difficult for the Vols to post loads and loads of runs on the scoreboard like they often have this season. But if anyone can have success against a staff that allowed seven runs in three games last weekend, it's Tennessee. 

The Vols have plenty of power, whereas Notre Dame doesn't. Tennessee's pitching staff should do a good job of keeping the Irish in the park, and if they can limit the top of the order, specifically Cole and Putz, UT shouldn't have to worry much with Notre Dame's offense. 

This weekend will come down to whether or not Tennessee's offense can find enough success, which, other than the Kentucky series, they've found a way.

Tennessee Info

The Vols will start Blade Tidwell on Friday and Chase Dollander Saturday, Tony Vitello confirmed on Thursday. 

Sunday's starter, if necessary, remains undecided. 

Drew Beam has been the starter for all but one of Tennessee's game three situations, but Camden Sewell is also a possible option to start on the mound Sunday. The senior reliever did not throw in the Vols' Regional Tournament, so if he doesn't throw Friday or Saturday, expect to see multiple innings out of No. 16 on Sunday. 

Chase Burns will more than likely be used out of the bullpen again this weekend, but the All SEC Second-Team member is also another candidate to start Sunday. 

Beam has not been sharp for Tennessee the past month. Despite that, Vitello noted the Vols will more than likely use him in some capacity this weekend. 

"I think we’re probably going to use him this weekend in some situations, starter or relief. We’re confident regardless of what it is, but the key for him is the same for all of our guys: Be you."

On Tennessee's lineup, nothing should change expect a possible change at designated hitter for the first game against the Irish. As good as left-handed power-hitter freshman Blake Burke has been, Christian Moore has put together his fair share significant at-bats in the past two weeks. With Notre Dame throwing a lefty on Friday, Moore could get the starting nod for game one, with Burke starting on Saturday.

Freshman utility man Jared Dickey also figures to see a handful of at-bats this weekend, as he's come up huge in those situations while working his way back to 100 percent from a foot injury. 

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The Vols and Fighting Irish will begin their quest for an Omaha berth on Friday at 6 p.m. ET in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. If Tennessee can advance to the College World Series, it will be the first time in program history the Vols will have gone to Omaha in back-to-back seasons.