The last team to take the field at the 2017 ACC tournament also happened to be the unofficial host. Louisville made the wait worth it for the 6,945 fans who packed Louisville Slugger Field Thursday night, hammering 12th-seeded Notre Dame 10-3 in their postseason opener.
As he was for the entirety of the regular season, Brendan McKay was a star for the Cards. He struck out eight Fighting Irish batters while allowing three runs over six innings. He also provided all the offense he would need to provide himself with the win by launching a no-doubt grand slam in the visitor’s half (stupid postseason rules) of the third inning.