March 14, 2012
Box Score | Box Score
| Postgame Interview 
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Junior Patrick Veerkamp picked up his first career victory and did so impressively with 6.0 shutout innings to help Notre Dame rout Texas-San Antonio, 12-0, in college baseball action from Wolff Stadium Wednesday night. The Irish improved to 8-5 on the season, while the Road Runners dropped to 9-8.
Veerkamp (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) improved to 1-0 on the season following the top performance of his collegiate career. The right-handed hurler allowed just four hits over his 6.0 innings of work. Veerkamp fanned four and walked three. The 6.0 innings is the longest outing of his career. Veerkamp’s previous career-long appearance was 2.2 innings of work back on Mar. 10, 2010 at Texas-Pan American – one of his other three career starts.
Veerkamp faced some adversity throughout the game, but managed to make a big pitch when needed. UTSA advanced at least one runner into scoring position in each of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning. Yet, Veerkamp worked out of the potential rally each time.
Junior RF Charlie Markson (Whitefish Bay, Wisc./Whitefish Bay H.S.) collected a team-high three hits (3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored). Freshman LF Ryan Bull (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie H.S.), senior DH Tommy Chase (Cohasset, Mass./Boston College H.S.) and freshman SS Jason McMurray (West Des Moines, Ia./Dowling Catholic H.S.) all chipped in with two hits apiece. Bull went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Chase went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, and McMurray went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore 3B Eric Jagielo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North H.S.) drilled his third home run of the season.
Eight of Notre Dame’s nine starters had at least one base hit, seven had at least one RBI and seven scored at least one run.
While Veerkamp kept the Road Runners off the scoreboard, the Irish offense exploded in the second and third innings. Notre Dame raced out to a 10-0 lead with four runs in the second and six more in the third.
Junior RHP Breck Ashdown (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills H.S.) and senior LHP Ryan Richter (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s H.S.) teamed up for the final 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. Ashdown allowed one hit and struck out one batter in 2.0 innings, while Richter fanned one and surrendered one hit in 1.0 inning of work.
The 12-0 win is the largest margin of victory for Notre Dame in a shutout since Apr. 13, 2008 when the Irish blanked Villanova (13-0).
Notre Dame returns to action on Thursday, Mar. 15 at 4:00 p.m. CT against Houston Baptist for its opening game of the 2012 Irish Baseball Classic. In-game updates will be available on twitter at @NDBaseball and facebook at NDBaseball while fans can listen to all the action locally on 103.1 FM and on the internet at UND.com.
— ND —