Feb. 21, 2016

Box Score | Santa Clara 2, #24 ND 0

By Russell Dorn

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – A night after the No. 24 University of Notre Dame baseball team shut out Santa Clara 5-0 on opening night, the Broncos returned the favor with a 2-0 win over the Irish Saturday night at Stephen Schott Stadium.

Broncos’ pitcher Steven Wilson turned in six strong innings, scattering six hits while walking none and striking out seven on 95 pitches. Relievers Nick Medeiros (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Max Kuhns (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) closed out the Irish over the final three innings to finish off the shutout.

Notre Dame certainly had its chances to cross home plate but left seven runners on base over the course of the night. The Irish also had a double play end the first inning when runners were stationed at the corners and saw another runner get thrown out at home plate from right field in the seventh.

Irish senior Ricky Sanchez and junior Ryan Lidge each notched a pair of hits to lead the team. Jake Johnson, Cavan Biggio and Kyle Richardson recorded the other hits for Notre Dame.

Santa Clara scored its two runs early in the game off Notre Dame starter Peter Solomon, who was making his first appearance since March 21, 2015. Solomon went three innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

Following Solomon’s exit, senior LHP Michael Hearne entered the game in relief 11 months to the day after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Palos Heights, Illinois native looked every bit as impressive as the pitcher that was a weekend starter in 2014 and early in 2015 before the injury, as he went five innings and allowed just three hits, no runs and no walks while striking out three.

Notre Dame (1-1) and Santa Clara (1-1) play the rubber game at 2 p.m. (ET) Sunday. Fans can follow along through a free video stream, WatchND’s free audio broadcast or live stats. Links for all three are located on the Notre Dame baseball schedule page.

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For more information on the Notre Dame baseball, follow the Irish on Facebook (/NDBaseball), Twitter (@NDBaseball) and Instagram (notredamebaseball).

Russell Dorn, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2011 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame volleyball, rowing and baseball programs. A native of Greenwood, South Carolina, Dorn graduated from Furman University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in history before earning his master’s degree in sports communications from Georgia State University in 2011.