#22 Dan Kapala Baseball Roster

• Dan Kapala 2007 game-by-game stats (updated regularly)

Versatile and veteran presence on the mound who could be top starter or even a closer in 2007, as he returns from shoulder surgery that held him out of his entire junior season in 2006 … was top set-up pitcher as a freshman before emerging as quality weekend starter in ’05 … could have been in line for vacant closer role on 2006 team before suffering a torn labrum injury to his shoulder during final outing of 2005 summer season (with Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod League) … underwent his shoulder surgery in Sept. of 2005 before undergoing long rehabilitation procedure … has the option to apply for a fifth year of eligibility in 2008 … made tremendous recovery – developing great mobility in his arm – under the expert care of longtime Notre Dame baseball athletic trainer Mike Bean … had a solid 2006 fall season while working with pitching coach Sherard Clinkscales to streamline his delivery … has begun to use more of his lower half, producing more consistency and less torque on his backside while creating increased stamina and more leverage on his fastball … has a major-league body, with strong, 6-4, 215-pound frame, a live arm and darting movement in his pitches … uses a deceptive arm slot from the 10/11 o’clock position, with nasty whip and late movement … throws downhill while coming right at batters with his assortment of pitches … arrived at Notre Dame in the fall of 2003 as a raw but very promising talent … the key to his breakthrough success in 2005 was command of the strike zone and development of his slider and changeup … threw his electric fastball in low-90s during first two seasons … has several similarities – including body type and arm slot – to former Notre Dame All- American and current bigleaguer Aaron Heilman (’01) … started college career with raw mechanics before finetuning his delivery and control … has high level of projectability as pro prospect, with Seattle Mariners selecting him in 47th round of 2003 Major League draft … compiled a 3.03 ERA, 9-4 record and 81 strikeouts in first two seasons with the Irish, spanning 53 appearances (9 starts) and 121.2 innings (2 saves, 121 hits allowed/.261 opp. Batting avg., 43 walks) … made his return in a Notre Dame uniform during the 2006 Blue-Gold fall intrasquad series, setting down the side in the 6th inning to help the Blue win game-2 … struck out two batters in that quick inning that saw seven of his nine pitches go as strikes … played for Falmouth Commodores in prestigious Cape Cod League during the summer of 2005, serving as mostly a starter (8 GP/5 GS) while registering a save with better than one strikeout per inning (47 Ks in 46.2 IP) and a 3.1 K-to-walk ratio (47/15) … posted 3-1 record and 3.03 ERA with the Delaware (Ohio) Cows of the Great Lakes League in summer of 2004 (32.2 IP, 28 H, 16 BB, 24 Ks, 7 GS) … joins sophomore infielder Evan Sharpley (Marshall HS), freshman OF/LHP David Mills (Battle Creek/Lakeview HS) and freshman infielder Herman Petzold (St. Clair Shores/DeLaSalle HS) in giving the Irish four Michigan natives – most in recent memory – on the 2007 roster … the Notre Dame baseball program’s 41 all-time monogram winners from Michigan include All-America outfielders Eric Danapilis (St. Joseph; ’90-’93) and Ryan Topham (Portage; ’93-’95) … enters season with a 3.02 cumulative grade-point average, including a strong 2006 fall semester that saw him post a 3.61 GPA (an an economics major).

AS A JUNIOR: Did not compete during the 2006 season while undergoing rehabilitation from his shoulder surgery in the fall of 2005.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Returned to key setup role for first half of 2005 season before making shift into weekend rotation … led ’05 staff in appearances (25; 6th among BIG EAST pitchers) while ranking 2nd on staff in ERA (3.20), wins (7-3; 6th among BIG EAST pitchers) and innings (81.2; 10th in BIG EAST), 3rd in strikeouts (41) and starts (9), and 4th in low opponent batting average (.268) … totaled team-best 16 Ks ‘looking’ while ranking 2nd on staff with 95 groundouts … allowed just .241 opponent batting with runners on (2nd-best on staff) while holding opponents to .342 leadoff on-base pct. (3rd on staff) … limited lefthanded hitters to .256 batting (3rd on staff) … allowed just 9.26 hits (3rdbest) and 2.98 walks (5th) per 9.0 innings while averaging 10.47 GOs/9 IP (5th) … posted 4-0 record, 2.48 ERA and 2-to-1 K-to-walk ratio (19/9) in home games (33 H/.236 opp. avg. in 36.1 IP) but was just 2-3 with a 4.58 ERA on the road (19 Ks, 17 BB, 43 H/.299 in 37.1 IP) … both of his postseason starts were ended by rain delays, picking up wins over Pittsburgh in 11-4 BIG EAST title game (5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R/3 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks, WP; 11-4) and North Carolina in 3-0 NCAA elimination game (8 IP, 8 H, BB, 3 Ks, 12 GOs/including 3 double-play balls), capping his spot on the Gainesville Regional all-tournament team … had pitched two days earlier, in relief of Tom Thornton during NCAA opener against UNC (2 IP, 2 H, BB; 1-5) … beat Southwest Missouri at Alamo City Classic (1.2 IP, 3 H, R, K; 12-11) … helped post 4-1 win over Seton Hall (3 IP, BB, K) … a rough 5th inning sent him to loss in first start of his Notre Dame career, opposite Boston College’s ace (4.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R/5 ER, BB, K, HB; 2-8) … bounced back for complete-game win in opener versus UConn that extended to 8- inning game (6 H, 2 R, BB, 2 Ks, WP; 3-2) … followed with another CG win over Villanova (7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 3 Ks, HB; 9-4) and then beat Cleveland State during BIG EAST bye week (5 IP, 7 H, 2 R/ER, 2 Ks; 13-3) … suffered tough-luck loss at St. John’s (8 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 Ks, HB; 2-3) … helped secure BIG EAST Tournament spot with final-week win over West Virginia (7 IP, 5 H, R, 5 Ks, BK, HB; 3-1).

AS A FRESHMAN: Combined with senior lefthander Joe Thaman and sophomore closer Doherty to each log 28-30 appearances as leaders of 2004 bullpen that posted 2.97 season ERA (no previous pair of ND pitchers ever had logged more than 27 GP) … 3rd on staff and 4th among BIG EAST pitchers with 28 GP (7th in ND record book, now 8th) … tied Chris Michalak (’90) for 2nd-most GP ever by an ND freshman, behind Heilman’s 31 in ’98 … led staff with .146 opponent 2-out batting … 2nd on staff in games finished (12) and Ks per 9 IP (9.00) … his 2.70 ERA ranked 3rd among ND regulars while his .222 opponent batting with runners on base and .241 by righthanded hitters both were 4th … 5th on staff in overall opp. batting avg. (.248), groundout-flyout ratio (1.18) and low hits allowed (8.32 H/9 IP) … his other ’04 stats: 2-1 record, save, 40 IP, 37 H, 16 BB, 40 Ks, 4 WP, 4 HB, 40 GOs … allowed just 5-of-21 inherited runners to score (24%) … other situational stats: .270 batting by LH hitters, .410 opp. leadoff onbase pct. … other 9-inning averages: 3.60 BB, 9.00 GOs … averaged 18.00 outs per 9 IP via Ks or GOs … compiled 2.5 K-BB ratio … retired all three batters he faced in debut versus Winthrop, at FAU Classic (K; 19-6) … had win next day over Minnesota (3 IP, 3 H, R, 4 Ks; 19-7) … tossed 1-2-3 inning in 9th against Villanova (2 Ks, H, GDP; 6-5 in 10) … saved win over Chicago State (1.1 IP, K, HB, 5 BF; 15-5) … pitched in nightcap at Pittsburgh, relieving Doherty and blowing ball by BIG EAST player of the year P.J. Hiser for huge strikeout (Pitt won, 7-6, when ball squeezed by the catcher) … saw 12.2- inning scoreless streak (9 GP) end versus Cleveland State … picked up win over Boston College in BIG EAST Tournament (0.2 IP, 2 Ks; 3-2), after duel between Grant Johnson and Boston College’s Chris Lambert … entered that game (2-2) in top of 9th with 1-out and runners on 1st and 2nd, falling behind lefthanded pinch-hitter Shawn McGill (3-1) before sending final fastball past him and also striking out Marco Albano … combined with Thaman and Doherty for 4.0 shutout innings to back up Johnson’s win over UC Irvine in NCAAs (1.2 IP, 2 Ks; 6-5) – giving him a 1.20 ERA in span of 21 GP (29 IP) … tagged with season’s final loss to Arizona (2 IP, H, R, BB, K; 5-6) … was slated to start in midseason versus Purdue (rainout).

PREP & PERSONAL: Closed career as dominant strikeout pitcher at Shrine Catholic High School, earning ABCA All-Region IV honors and Gatorade player of the year while totaling 193 strikeouts in 93 innings, as senior leader of the 2003 state runner-up team … rated by Perfect Game/Baseball America as number-2 prep prospect in Michigan for 2003 … averaged 18.7 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitcher, as an allstate and all-conference performer in 2003 (1.05 ERA, 11-4, 79 BB, 27 H) …his strong junior season in 2002 included 0.41 ERA, 9-2 record and 122 Ks (38 BB, 19 H, 68.2 IP), earning all-league, all-d strict, all-region and allarea honors (also hit .382 with 21 RBI) … two-time team MVP and ’03 team captain … member of three league title teams (’00-’02), ’02 and ’03 regional champs … attended BPR Fall Classic (Ariz.) … helped Michigan Rams under- 16s win state title (he was 5-0), advancing to USSSA World Series (Northville, Mich.) … two-year football letterwinner as a tight end/defensive end (’00, ’01), earning all-league and all-city honors as a junior (two league titles) … three-year letterwinning basketball forward … named to Michigan top-50 sophomore and junior lists for basketball (Prep Spotlight) … helped basketball team win 2001 division title and 2001 and ’03 conference titles … served as 2002-03 basketball captain … member of the National Honor Society … attended the 2002 Notre Dame fall baseball camp … made official visit during 2002 ND-Stanford football weekend (his player host was John Axford) … born Sept. 6, 1985, in Royal Oak, Mich. … son of Chuck and Linda Kapala … full name is Daniel Joseph Kapala … an economics major, enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters.