March 5, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame senior RHP Adam Norton was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on Monday, while junior 1B Trey Mancini was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. The tandem helped the Irish to a 3-1 mark this past weekend at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic, including victories over Tennessee and No. 25 Virginia Tech.
Norton (Highland, Ind./Andrean H.S.) tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout of No. 25 Virginia Tech Saturday. The right-handed hurler collected Notre Dame’s first complete-game shutout over a top-25 opponent since Danny Tamayo blanked Mississippi State in the Starkville Regional on May 28, 2000. Norton completely baffled a Virginia Tech lineup that entered the game with a .337-team batting average and averaged 8.3 runs/game.
Norton retired the first 10 Hokies of the game before a one-out single in the fourth inning. He promptly sent down the next six Virginia Tech hitters before a bunt single in the top of the sixth inning. Norton did not allow another base runner until two outs in the top of the ninth inning – another stretch of 10 consecutive retired Hokies. He was one out away from a two-hit shutout, but Virginia Tech rallied in the ninth inning.
The Hokies got back-to-back singles to bring the potential tying run to the plate. All that stood in between Norton and the victory, complete game and shutout was Virginia Tech slugger Tyler Moran, who set the Cape Cod League record with 16 home runs this past summer. Norton got Moran to pop out to the catcher to end the game.
Norton struck out five and walked one. He faced 32 batters and needed just 108 pitches (76 strikes).
Norton lowered his season ERA to 1.71 with his third career complete game.
Mancini (Winter Haven, Fla./Winter Haven H.S.) carried the Irish offensively. He was injured in his final at bat of the victory over UMass and missed the game against Tennessee, but did not miss a beat against the Hokies. Mancini provided all of Notre Dame’s offense in a 3-0 victory. He drilled a two-run home run and added an RBI single.
Mancini added a three-run round tripper in the rout of the Minutemen. In all, he batted .385 (5-for-13) over the weekend with two home runs and six RBI. Mancini registered a .846 slugging percentage. He also played flawless defense over the weekend. Mancini did not commit an error in 25 fielding chances.
Notre Dame returns to action this weekend with the Dodgertown Classic. The Irish open the weekend at 6 p.m. PT Friday against No. 4 UCLA at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Notre Dame will then travel across town on Saturday to face USC at 2 p.m. PT at Dedeaux Field. The Irish close the weekend’s festivities at 10 a.m. PT Sunday with No. 10 Oklahoma at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
— ND —