ACC Baseball Preview: Notre Dame
By: Chase Hughes January 30, 2024

CLEMSON – The Clemson Insider dives into Clemson’s Atlantic Coast Conference baseball opponents for the 2024 season.

The fourth weekend set in ACC play will be against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The 10th-ranked Tigers will hit the road again and head up to South Bend, Indiana on the weekend of April 5-7.

COACHING

Shawn Stiffler, in his second season at Notre Dame, owns a career 370-222 record that includes 10 seasons at the helm for Virginia Commonwealth University.

ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

Notre Dame finished the 2023 season with a 30-24 record (15-15 ACC, 4th Atlantic Division, where they entered the ACC tournament as a #8 seed. Their run in the tournament was very short lived after losing their first two games against Pitt and Wake Forest. The Fighting Irish were able to avoid getting swept at any point during conference play last season while pulling off a sweep against a very good Virginia baseball club.

PITCHING STAFF

Senior Jackson Dennies is set up to be the staff ace, a big bodied 6-foot-4 righty, that was 0-4 in 2023 but had a 3.11 ERA in 14 games, 13 of which were starts.

A rising star for the Irish is David Lally Jr. who was up to 96 this fall. He served as the primary mid-week starter a year ago and had some troubles that led to a 5.29 ERA but expect some different results this season.

Three transfers to look out for are Will Jacobsen – Harvard (95-95, 7.01 ERA), Bennett Flynn – Davidson (low 90’s, 3.17 ERA), and Nate Hardman – Evansville (low 90’s, 4.38 ERA).

POSITION PLAYERS

Three guys that led the team last season are set to return in 2024 and make a big impact. DM Jefferson (.254 BA), Jack Penney (10 HR’s), and TJ Williams (48 hits).

David Glancy joins the Irish from St. John’s where we slashed .290/.399/.546 with 24 homeruns over his last two seasons, he is looking to slide into one of the corner outfields slots.

Josh Hahn – UCLA and Simon Baumgardt – Tulane look to man down first and thirst base respectively. Hahn hit .326/.379/.395 a year ago with the Bruins while Baumgardt slugged .277/.383/.530 with 13 homeruns for the Green Wave.