April 4, 2001
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Senior lefthander Mike Naumann continued the string of strong starts by the Notre Dame pitching staff while the offense enjoyed a productive day, as the sixth-ranked Irish posted their 22nd win of the season with an 8-1 victory over visiting Dayton in non-conference action Wednesday at Eck Stadium.
Notre Dame (22-5-1) had another big seventh inning, plating four runs to stretch to their final cushion. The Irish brought home eight of 17 baserunners, one night after scoring just three of 18 in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Ball State.
Naumann (2-0) pushed his career record to 9-1 with six strong innings, scattering one run, five hits and two walks over the 68-pitch outing while striking out one Flyers batter.
Dayton (12-15) failed to cash in some chances versus Naumann and righthanded relievers Brandon Viloria, Brian Kaplan and Matt Laird–who combined to lower the Irish team season ERA to 2.45 (second-best in the nation, behind Baylor’s 2.33). The Notre Dame staff has posted 84 shutout innings in the last 12 games (in 100 IP), with a 1.89 ERA during that 12-game span.
Notre Dame’s starting pitchers now have combined to post a 1.79 ERA during the first 28 games, led by senior righthanders Aaron Heilman (1.17, 9th in the nation) and Danny Tamayo (1.64, 27th).
The first three Irish runs came without an RBI hit, as Brian Stavisky’s sacrifice fly plated Steve Stanley in the first inning before Kris Billmaier’s groundout scored Steve Sollmann for a 2-0 lead. Joe Thaman’s groundout then brought home Andrew Bushey in the fourth inning for a 3-0 cushion.
The seventh inning again proved to be productive for the Irish, who scored four times for the game’s final margin. Notre Dame now has outscored its opponents 30-6 in the seventh inning during the 2001 season.
Freshman catcher Soran Leahy walked on four pitches to open the seventh and Stanley singled down the leftfield line, ending the day for junior righthander Seth Fisher (0-1)-who was touched for six runs (five earned) on eight hits and four walks.
Sollmann then pulled off a bunt single down the third-base line versus junior righthander Mike Rolih and Alec Porzel stroked an RBI single to left. Stavisky followed with a groundball to the first baseman Clint Beasley, whose throw one-hopped past the catcher to plate a pair of unearned runs. Billmaier’s RBI groundout capped the scoring.
NOTES: Thaman (2-for-4) pushed his hitting streak to 10 games while fellow freshman Sollmann (2-for-5) has hits in the last nine games and is batting .432 overall … Porzel (2-for-3) is batting 13-for-31 (.419) during his current eight-game hitting streak (.245 overall).
Dayton (12-15) 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 – 1 6 2
#6 Notre Dame (22-5-1) 2-0-0 1-0-1 4-0-X — 8 11 2
Sam Fisher (L, 0-1), Mike Rolih (7), Scott Shean (8) and Mark Wahl.
Mike Naumann (W, 2-0), Brandon Viloria, Brian Kaplan (8), Matt Laird (9) and Soran Leahy.
Doubles: Alec Porzel (ND), Brooks Vogel (UD).