Notre Dame Set for Swig & Swine Classic

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame baseball team heads out for its final nonconference weekend of the season. The Irish will take part in another tournament this weekend, this time in Charleston, S.C. Notre Dame will square off with Charleston Southern and Ball State in the 2019 Swig & Swine Classic starting Friday afternoon.
 

Know the Opponent: 2019 Swig and Swine Classic

• Notre Dame will face off with Charleston Southern and foe Ball State in a weekend three-team format series played at Shipyard Park and CSU Ballpark. 
• This will be the first meeting all-time between the Irish and Buccaneers while the Irish will face the Cardinals for the 32nd time. 
• Notre Dame and Ball State haven’t squared off since the 2010 season when the Irish defeated the Cardinals 11-5 in a March mid-week matchup at Frank Eck Stadium.

Jung Continues Hot Start

• Junior first baseman Daniel Jung was one of the most experienced bats returning to the heart of the lineup and he wasted no time getting off to a fast start in 2019.
• In the Alamo Irish Classic, Jung tallied a hit in each game to extend his season-long hit streak to seven games.
• On Thursday against Eastern Michigan, Jung went 3-for-5 from the plate with a career-high six RBI and tied a career high with two runs scored.
• Jung had consecutive three-hit games for the first time in his career and it was the seventh time he has recorded three hits in a game.
• On Saturday against Incarnate Word, Jung slapped a single into right field in the bottom of the seventh to drive in the eventual game-winning run in Notre Dame’s 2-1 comeback win.
• In the series finale against ASU, Jung tied a career high with three hits after going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. 
• Jung finished the weekend in the desert with a team high .357 average (6-for-14).

Gilgenbach Breaks Out in Finale Against Incarnate Word

• In the final game for the Irish at the 2019 Alamo Irish Classic, senior captain Eric Gilgenbach broke out in a big way.
• The Rochester Hills, Mich. native reached base in all four at-bats, going 3-for-3 with four RBI, two doubles, two runs scored and a walk.
• He tied a career high with three hits and it was the sixth game in his career that he had recorded three hits.
• It was a season high RBI for Gilgenbach and the most since he recorded seven at LSU on Feb. 18, 2018.
• In the eighth inning, Gilgenbach sent a towering fly ball over the fence in left center for his second home run of the season.
• The senior captain tied the team lead for home runs this season and he led the Irish with 10 last season.

Pitching Shines During Two Wins at Alamo Irish Classic

• In the two wins at the Alamo Irish Classic, pitching was on full display for the Irish.
• In the opening game LHP Tommy Sheehan had a career day against Eastern Michigan.
• The sophomore tallied 8 K’s, 2 ER, and 1 BB over seven innings of work.
• The seven innings and eight strikeouts both were career highs for Sheehan.
• Cole Kmet closed the door against the Eagles, hurling 3.1 innings without giving up a hit and totaling five strikeouts. 
• In the second game of the doubleheader on Friday; Cameron Brown, Andrew Belcik and Tommy Vail all combined to allow just one unearned run in Notre Dame’s 2-1 win over Incarnate Word.
• Brown pitched 5.1 innings and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts.
• Belcik provided 1.1 innings, allowing just one hit and collecting three strikeouts. 
• Vail earned the win after the Irish took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed just one hit over 2.1 innings and had five strikeouts.
• The Irish had 17 strikeouts combined in the 2-1 win over Incarnate Word, the most since may 16, 2008 against South Florida (18 K’s) in a game that went 15+ innings.

More Collegiate Firsts at Alamo Irish Classic

• The Irish had another round of newcomers earn their first career starts over the weekend in San Antonio.
• LHP Aidan Tyrell got his first career start on Saturday against Incarnate Word.
• RHP Mitch Megias made his first collegiate appearance in relief against the Cardinals
• OF Jack Zyska got the start in left field on Saturday and made a great diving catch right on the foul line.
• At the end of the weekend, a total of five newcomers have made their first career starts while 10 have made their first collegiate appearances.

–ND–