March 20, 2008
BETHESDA, Md. – The University of Notre Dame totaled 28 hits and set a new school record for runs in a BIG EAST game in its 25-1 rout of Georgetown in the conference opener for the Irish Thursday afternoon at Shirley Povich Field. Notre Dame improves to 8-7 overall and 1-0 in the BIG EAST, while the Hoyas drop to 7-10 and 1-3.
The 25 runs are the sixth-most by Notre Dame in the 116 year history of the program. It was the largest scoring output since Notre Dame hammered South Alabama, 25-1, in the 2002 NCAA Regional. It also marked the second time the Irish have eclipsed 20 runs in a BIG EAST game (the 2005 team defeated Pittsburgh, 21-1). The 24-run margin of victory is tied for the second largest in school history. Only the 1900 squad’s, 34-7, victory over Indiana had a larger scoring margin. The 28 hits are the most since Notre Dame had 32 in that victory over South Alabama in 2002.
Notre Dame’s 28-hit attack and .519 team batting average in Thursday’s game produced five big innings – nine in the second, three in the third, three in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the eighth. The Irish recorded 11 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles.
A total of 13 different Notre Dame players registered hits, including all nine players in the starting lineup (and did so by the fourth inning).
Freshman Greg Sherry (Mendam, N.J) led the barrage with four hits. Sherry went 4-for-6 with two RBI and five runs scored. Sophomore A.J. Pollock (Hebron, Conn.) and junior Evan Sharpley (Marshall, Mich.) had three hits apiece. Pollock went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI. Sharpley went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and six RBI. He also added his team-best third home run of the season. The six RBI ties numerous others for second-most in Notre Dame single-game history. It was the most RBI for an Irish player since Steve Sollmann also drove in six on June 1, 2002 against South Alabama.
Senior Brett Lilley (North Canton, OH), sophomore David Mills (Battlecreek, Mich.), junior Jeremy Barnes (Garland, Texas), senior Ross Brezovsky (Naples, Fla.), senior Sean Gaston (Brownsburg, IN) and sophomore Billy Boockford (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) all recorded two hits. Boockford, Gaston and Lilley each drove in two. Freshman Mick Doyle (LaGrange Park, Ill.) and freshman Golden Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn.) each recorded two hits off the bench. Doyle had a pair of doubles and Tate had two RBI.
Junior David Phelps’ (Hazelwood, Mo.) tremendous start was lost in the offensive onslaught. Phelps (3-2) limited the Hoyas to just an earned run on four hits in 7.0 innings. He struckout seven and walked just one. Over his last two starts, both victories, Phelps has surrendered just two earned runs in 14.0 innings (yielded only eight hits).
Tim Adleman (3-1) was credited with the loss and rocked for nine earned runs on nine hits in 2.0 innings.
Notre Dame returns to action with the second game of the series Friday afternoon. First-pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Senior left-handed hurler Wade Korpi (Lake Worth, Fla.) will take the mound for the Irish. The game can heard live on ESPN Radio 1490 AM and UND.com.
— ND —