May 28, 2000
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) – Steve Stanley drove in the go-ahead run with a bunt single in the eighth as Notre Dame came from five runs down to beat Tulane 10-6 Saturday night in an NCAA regional elimination game.
Jeff Felker had two doubles and four RBIs for Notre Dame.
The game was halted in the third inning when an apparent tornado touched down less than a mile away from the ballpark.
Fans and players were forced to run for cover as the gusts blew debris around the stadium.
Play resumed after a 2-hour and 19-minute delay with Notre Dame trailing 5-0.
“I think that break actually helped our kids kind of regroup and think about things,” Notre Dame coach Paul Mainieri said. “I think they came back after the break with a renewed determination that showed late in the game.”
The game ended at 12:55 CST.
The Fighting Irish (45-17) will play Mississippi State Sunday at 2 p.m. CST for the regional championship. Notre Dame, which lost to the Bulldogs 8-1 earlier Saturday, will have to beat Mississippi State twice to advance.
“We’re glad to be playing. We’re going to go to tomorrow and do the best we can. We’re going to see who is available to pitch and then we’ll go from there,” Mainieri said.
Notre Dame scored four runs in the seventh to cut Tulane’s lead to 6-5, then rallied for four more in the eighth.
Dan Meyer’s bloop single off Tulane reliever Nick Bourgeois (1-2) tied the game at 6.
With runners at first and third, Stanley pushed a bunt past the mound towards second base and beat the throw for an infield hit that made the score 7-6.
Felker followed with a two-run double to make it 9-6.
Notre Dame reliever John Corbin (5-3) worked five innings, allowing three hits and one run.
James Jurries had a homer and four RBIs for Tulane (38-22-1).
“We felt like we had them where we wanted them with a 6-1 lead, but they really put together some good at-bats,” Tulane coach Rick Jones said.