Alex Nettey (right) and Ross Brezovsky both had two hits while helping the Blue rally to Tuesday's 7-6 win (photo by Pete LaFleur).

Blue Rallies To Win Game-1 Of Baseball Intrasquad Series, 7-6

Blue-Gold Game-1 Stats

Oct. 4, 2005

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Alex Nettey and Ross Brezovsky combined to bat 4-for-5 from the top of the lineup as the Blue team rallied to beat the Gold, 7-6, in the first game of the Notre Dame baseball team’s annual fall intrasquad series. The three-day event continues on Wednesday at Eck Stadium (4:00), with that five-inning game open to the public free-of-charge. Sophomore lefthander Wade Korpi is the probable gmae-2 starter for the Blue while the Gold is slated to counter with freshman righthander Kyle Weiland.

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Jeff Manship was the hard-luck loser in game-1, as three Gold errors led to four unearned runs for the Blue (photo by Matt Cashore; all others by Pete LaFleur).

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The Gold opened the game by jumping out to a 4-0 lead – sparked by Greg Lopez’s two-run home run – but the Blue answered with three runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Gold later held a 6-3 cushion only to see the Blue score once in the 3rd and three times in the 4th for the decisive margin.

Junior righthander Jeff Manship was the hard-luck loser, as three Gold errors led to four unearned runs. Manship was charged with all seven runs in 3-plus innings, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out two in the limited outing that saw him throw 67 pitches (37 for strikes; 2 hit batters).

The Blue’s rally got freshman righthander David Phelps off the hook, with his classmate Sam Elam retiring five of the six batters he faced to help set up the comeback. The lanky lefthander completed a pickoff move after entering the game in the 3rd and allowed one hit in his brief 14-pitch stint, locating 12 of those pitches for strikes.

Nettey opened the 4th with a first-pitch single through the left side and the lefthanded-hitting Brezovsky laid down the next pitch for a bunt single. Manship then hit Matt Bransfield with a 3-0 pitch and the middle infielders both mishandled potential double-play balls, bringing home a pair of runs to tie the game before a Steve Andres groundout to the right side plated the go-ahead run. Freshman righthander Jeremy Barnes faced the final four batters of the inning but was unable to prevent the two runs (one unearned) from scoring.

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Ross Brezovsky had a key bunt single in the Blue team’s decisive three-run rally.

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The Gold team was hurt by its three middle-infield errors while the Blue received a strong game from Brezovsky at shortstop, with senior Matt Bransfield filling in at second base (he was a prep third baseman). Senior rightfielder Cody Rizzo made his bid for a one-out single in the top of the 5th, but Brezovsky leaped high to stab the ball for the second out. Sophomore Tony Langford – who started in left field and later shifted to second base – then sent a 1-2 pitch up the middle but Elam rolled up a groundout to end the game.

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Matt Bransfield (left) and Tony Langford both found themselves at the unfamiliar defensive position of second base during the game-1 action.

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Nettey (2) and Brezovsky combined to score three of the Blue’s runs, with the rest of the team batting just 1-for-12. Langford delivered two of the Gold team’s six hits.

Phelps lost junior centerfielder Danny Dressman on a four-pitch walk with one out in the 1st and Lopez then came through on a 1-2 pitch, plunking his home run off the batters-eye in left-center field to continue his impresive hitting display during the fall season. Senior first baseman Craig Cooper followed with a walk on five pitches and freshman catcher David Hum coaxed a full-count walk – before first-year assistant coach and Gold team manager Cliff Godwin called for a double steal. Cooper scampered home on the errant throw by junior catcher Sean Gaston and Rizzo added an RBI groundout to the right side, with Hum scoring unearned for the quick 4-0 lead.

The Blue responded with three runs to complete the high-scoring start. Nettey pulled a 2-0 pitch down the leftfield line for a standup double and Brezovsky bunted him over before Bransfield walked on five pitches. Gaston then showed his clutch hitting by sending an 0-2 pitch into right field (plating Nettey) and Manship later was one out away from getting out of the inning – before hitting the senior leftfielder Andres with a 2-2 pitch. Freshman rightfielder Ryan Connolly came up with the bases loaded and Lopez was unable to handle his groundball up the middle, as two more runs raced home unearned.

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Freshman David Phelps faced the challenge of starting game-1, later watching his teammates rally to victory.

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The Gold extended to a 5-3 lead with a run in the 2nd. Freshman third baseman Eddy Mendiola pulled an 0-1 pitch down the rightfild line and Barnes (who started at second base) followed with his own single to right field. Dressman’s groundball to the left side then scored Mendiola for the two-run cushion.

The Blue had a chance to answer back when Brezovsky sent a 2-2 pitch up the middle for a one-out single, stole second and watched Bransfield draw a five-pitch walk. Manship worked out of the jam by rolling up a rightside groundball that produced the inning-ending, 4-6-3 double play (Barnes to Brezovsky to junior Mike Dury).

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Craig Cooper helped pull off a double steal during the Gold’s early four-run inning.

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The Gold manufactured another run in the 3rd for the 6-3 lead. Hum walked after a full-count battle with Phelps and move up on a wild pitch and Rizzo’s leftside groundout before scoring on Langford’s first-pitch single to the right-center gap. The Gold had a chance to pad its lead – after Phelps hit Mendiola with the next pitch – but Barnes fouled out to Dury, leaving the margin at three runs.

Dury led off the bottom of the 3rd with a full-count walk, moving up on a passed ball and a fyout off the bat of Andres. Connolly then lifted a fly ball to right-center, scoring Dury on the sacrifice fly.

The Gold came right back with a chance in the 4th, after Dressman sent a full-count pitch into center field for a leadoff single. Phelps retired Lopez before leaving the game having allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits, four walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch – with a pair of strikeouts in his 71-pitch outing that included 36 strikes.

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Freshman catcher David Hum scored to help the Gold claim its early 4-0 lead.

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Two-sport standout Jeff Samardzija stopped by to see his Irish baseball teammates, after completing football practice at the nearby Cartier Practice Fields. The junior righthander – who had the chance on Tuesday to cheer for the baseball teammates who have been supporting him in recent weeks during the Irish football season – is slated to begin his baseball workouts at the completion of the football season.

Elam took the mound and promptly picked off the baserunner before serving up an infield popup to maintain the three-run deficit.

Former Irish pitcher Chris Niesel – who is credited with planting the nickname of “Shark” on Samardzija during the 2004 baseball season – also was in attendance, as he is back on campus to complete his degree requirements. Niesel rates as possibly the top Blue-Gold pitcher in the 12-year Paul Mainieri era, compiling a 1,93 ERA in three starts (17 Ks, 1 BB, 1 H in 14 IP). He went on sign with the Cleveland Indians organization following his junior season in 2004.

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Freshman Sam Elam boasts a high leg kick resembling that of current senior lefthander Tom Thornton.

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Jeff Samardzija visits with Irish pitching coach Terry Rooney (28) and head coach Paul Mainieri (far right) after game-1.

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Notre Dame Gold 4-1-1 0-0 – 6 6 3
Notre Dame Blue 3-0-1 3-X – 7 5 1

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This hawk was among several interested observers as the 2005 Blue-Gold Series opened at Eck Stadium.

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Jeff Manship (L), Jeremy Barnes (4) and David Hum.

David Phelps, Sam Elam (4; W) and Sean Gaston.

.Home Run: Greg Lopez (G; 1 on in 1st)

Double: Alex Nettey (B)