Danny Dressman had plenty to smile about over the final five games of the Spring Break trip, helping the Irish go 4-1 in that stretch while batting 11-for-20 with a pair of walks, 6 RBI and 5 runs scored (photo by Pete LaFleur).

Danny Dressman Named To BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

March 19, 2007

Notre Dame senior centerfielder Danny Dressman (San Jose, Calif.) has been named to the BIG EAST Conference weekly baseball honor roll, after playing a lead role in a 4-1 week for the Irish that closed the annual Spring Break trip (March 12-18). The team co-captain led Notre Dame during the week in batting average (.550; 11-for-10), on-base percentage (.591), hits (11) and total bases (14) while ranking second on the team during the week in slugging percentage (.700) and RBI (6), plus third in runs scored (5).

After an 0-for-11 start to the Spring Break trip (during games on March 10-12), Dressman reached on eight straight plate appearances (6-for-6, with 2 walks) and closed the trip with hits in each of the final five games (including four multi-hit games and a pair of 3-hit games). He also scored in every game during the week and had RBI in four of the five games.

Dressman – who previously was named BIG EAST player of the week in recognition of his strong start to the 2006 Spring Break trip (7-for-12, 8 RBI) – has surged to second on the team with a .339 season batting average, also ranking third on the team in RBI (8) and runs scored (11), fourth in on-base pct. (.406) and fifth in slugging pct. (.407).

In addition to the categories mentioned previously, Dressman led the Irish last week in OPS (1.291 on-base plus slugging), 2-out batting (.571; 4-for-7), batting with runners on base (.778; 7-for-9), batting with runners in scoring position (.667; 4-for-6) and 2-out RBI (3). His other stats for the week included a triple, a double, two walks, a lone strikeout, a sac. bunt, a stolen base and errorless play in center field.

Dressman opened the week by playing a lead part in the 11-8, 10-inning comeback win at Webber International (3-for-4, RBI, R, BB), including a 2-out, game-tying, opposite-field single in the 9th that forced extra innings. He followed with another 3-for-4 game in the 11-4 win over Dayton (2 RBI, R, BB, 2B) – on the first day of the FGCU Classic – and then went 2-for-4 in the 12-1 win over New York Tech (RBI, R, SB). Dressman put the Irish in position to beat homestanding Florida Gulf Coast the next night (2-for-4, R), but the Eagles rallied for 5-3 win.

After moving back up in the batting order (to the 3-hole), Dressman played a key role in the 5-2 comeback win over Dayton (5-2), with an RBI triple and run scored in the decisive four-run top of the 8th (he later added an RBI groundout and also had an earlier sac. bunt).

Dressman’s other season stats include team-best totals in sac. bunts (4) and games played (17), also ranking second on the team in hits (20) and at-bats (59), third in starts (16) and times hit-by-pitch (3), fourth in total bases (24) and fifth in walks (5). Situationally, he owns the team’s best leadoff on-base pct. (.611) and second-best batting avg. with runners on base (.423), also ranking fifth on the team for batting avg. with runners in scoring position (.357).

Here’s a look at the updated BIG EAST Conference statistical leaders (including ranks for upcoming opponent South Florida; note that USF has played 22 games and ND 17):

Notre Dame Team Offense Ranks Among BIG EAST Teams
2nd – triples (7) and sac. bunts (19) … USF is 5th in triples (4) and 1st in sac. bunts (22)
5th – doubles (28) and low strikeouts (102) … USF is first in doubles (44) but 11th in low Ks (131)
6th – runs (101) and walks drawn (64) … USF is 1st in runs (163) and walks (95)
8th – home runs (9) and on-base pct. (.368) … USF is 7th in HRs (10) and 1st in OB (.428)
9th – batting avg. (.275; two teams at .276) and stolen bases (17) … USF is 3rd in batting (.314) and 4th in SBs (26)
10th – slugging pct. (.400) … USF is 4th in slugging (.428)

Notre Dame Team Pitching Ranks Among BIG EAST Teams
1st – ERA (3.08) … USG is 4th at 4.11
3rd – low opp. batting avg. (.252; Cincinnati is .243, Louisville .213), low home runs allowed (6; Pitt and Cin. each have allowed 3) and low walks per 9 IP (3.60; SJU is 3.57, G’town 3.38) … USF is 4th in opp. avg. (.255), 3rd in low HR allowed (6) and 9th in low walk avg. (4.61)
5th – low walks allowed (58) … USF has allowed the most walks (101)
6th – strikeouts (107) … USF is 1st with 167 Ks
9th – Ks Per 9 IP (6.64) … USF is 6th with 7.63 Ks 9 IP

Notre Dame Team Pitching Ranks Among BIG EAST Teams
8th – double plays turned (11) … USF is 5th with 14
10th – fewest errors (33) … USF is 11th with 42
11th – fielding pct. (.951) and fewest stolen bases allowed (27) … USF is 10th in fielding pct. (.952) and 10th in low SBs allowed (25)

Notre Dame Pitchers Among BIG EAST Leaders

David Phelps
2nd in ERA (1.20), 1st among starters and among all pitchers with 25-plus innings (Pitt’s Kyle Landis has a 0.40 ERA in 6 GP/2 GS and 22.2 IP)
4th in wins (3-1), USF’s Danny Otero is 4-3, UL’s Zack Pitts is 4-1 and USF’s Chris Delaney is 4-0
4th in games started (5)
7th in strikeouts (26)
8th in innings pitched (30.0)

Kyle Weiland
10th in wins (2-0)

Jess Stewart
7th in appearances (8) also note that Stewart owns a 0.93 ERA but is just shy of the minimum (1.0 IP per team game, or 17, he has 14.1) … Stewart’s .170 opp. batting avg. also would lead the BIG EAST (UL’s Zavk Pitts is the official leader, at .188).

Wade Korpi
4th in starts (5)

Notre Dame Position Players Among BIG EAST Leaders

Mike Dury
4th in home runs (4), behind Louisville’s Logan Johnson (7), SJU’s Ryan Mahoney (6) and Ryan Hill of Rutgers (5)
6th in slugging pct. (.647)

Ross Brezovsky
1st in triples (2)

Jeremy Barnes
8th in walks (11)

Brett Lilley
16th in runs scored (17)

Ryan Connolly
11th in doubles (5)