March 26, 2011
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Senior SS Mick Doyle gave Notre Dame a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI single and senior RHP Cole Johnson pretty much did the rest as the Irish shut out Georgetown, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium. Notre Dame improved to 9-10-1 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST, while the Hoyas dropped to 15-9 and 0-2. The Irish have taken each of the first two games in the series and will look for the sweep Sunday afternoon.
Johnson improved to 2-4 on the year with his sixth quality start in as many outings in 2011. The right-handed hurler limited Georgetown to five hits, four of which were singles, in 8.0 shutout innings of work. Johnson struck out six and walked one.
Freshman RHP Dan Slania collected his second save of the season with a scoreless and perfect ninth inning. The rookie struck out one of the three batters he faced.
Charles Steinman was charged with the loss for Georgetown. The righty allowed one earned run on three hits in 4.0 innings of work. Steinman issued four walks and struck out two.
Johnson worked around trouble in each of the first two innings. The Hoyas had a runner in scoring position in the first and second frames, but Johnson prevented either from scoring. Georgetown then advanced another into scoring position in the third inning, but was unable to score.
Notre Dame had a pair of golden chances to blow the game open in the first two innings. The Irish loaded the bases in the first and second frame off Steinman, but the righty managed to dance around trouble.
Georgetown seemed to tiptoe around danger the entire game. Notre Dame loaded the bases again in the fifth inning, but Tommy Isaacs got a double play ground out to end the threat.
The Irish ultimately stranded a season-high 13 on the base paths, including nine in scoring position. Notre Dame managed only four hits in the contest, but benefitted from 10 Georgetown walks.
Johnson seemed unfazed by Notre Dame’s inability to offer insurance.
He retired 15 of the 18 Hoyas between the fourth and eighth innings. The only three Georgetown batters that reached base did so via a hit-by-pitch, infield single and bloop base hit to left field.
Johnson, who received only six total runs of support over his last four starts, lowered his season ERA to 2.09. The Hudson, Ohio, native has tossed at least 7.0 innings in five consecutive starts.
Notre Dame grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior 3B Greg Sherry drew a one-out walk and eventually scored on Doyle’s two-out, RBI single.
Sherry walked three times and scored the games only run. Doyle and senior DH Matt Grosso each had a pair of hits. Doyle went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Grosso went 2-for-3.
Notre Dame registered its fourth shutout in 19 games this season. The Irish recorded only four shutouts over their previous 127 games entering 2011. Notre Dame also improved its record to 4-4 in game’s decided by one run. The Irish played in seven one-run outings in 2010 (54 games) and went 3-4.
Notre Dame and Georgetown return to the diamond at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday at Frank Eck Stadium. The game can be heard on WHME Harvest 103.1 FM and UND.com. Senior RHP Todd Miller will take the mound for the Irish.
— ND —