May 27, 2004
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – (Note: check back to und.com later tonight for a complete recap, including quotes from coach Mainieri and several of the game’s principal heroes).
The 7th-ranked Notre Dame baseball team opened BIG EAST Tournament play with a 3-2 win over Boston College, in a classic pitchers duel between junior righthanders Grant Johnson (ND) and Chris Lambert (BC). Notre Dame (47-10) next will play on Friday at 3:30 EDT (2:30 in South Bend), in the winners-bracket game of the four-team, double-elimination tournament. The Irish will face a St. John’s team that defeated Pittsburgh for the third straight game in the span of six days (4-2).
Johnson (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, BB, 6 Ks) allowed just one earned run while both of the runs charged to Lambert (8 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 Ks) came unearned when the Irish tied the game in the 5th.
Freshman righthander Dan Kapala (2-0) came on with one out and two runners on in the top of the 9th, striking out both batters he faced to maintain the 2-2 score. Notre Dame then ended the game when Javi Sanchez was hit by a pitch, pinch-hitter Danny Dressman executed a hit-and-run single (moving Sanchez to third) and Matt Edwards ended the game with a sharp single into left field.