March 15, 2012
Box Score | Box Score
| Postgame Interview 
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Sophomore Eric Jagielo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North H.S.) provided all the offense Notre Dame needed and freshman Matt Ternowchek (Glenmoore, PA/Downington East H.S.) took care of the pitching as the Irish knocked off Houston Baptist, 7-3, in opening day action from the 2012 Irish Baseball Classic at Wolf Stadium. Notre Dame improved to 9-5, while the Huskies dropped to 4-12.
Jagielo went 3-for-4 with a run scored, two doubles and four RBI. He opened the scoring for the Irish with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning, which tied the score, 1-1. Jagielo then stroked a bases-loaded, three-run double to give Notre Dame a 5-1 cushion in the second.
Houston Baptist answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third to cut the Irish lead to 5-3 and threatened to draw even closer in the fifth. After senior LHP Steve Sabatino (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township H.S.) issued a leadoff walk, Ternowchek came on and shut the door with a fly out and double play ground out.
Ternowchek pretty much cruised the rest of the way. The right-handed hurler retired 12 of the next 14 Huskies. The only two batters that reached over the last five innings were a triple, which was a fly ball misplayed in right field, and an error.
Ternowchek (1-0) tossed 5.0 scoreless innings of relief en route to his first career victory. He struck out two and did not issue a walk. Ternowchek went to a three-ball count just once and it came against his final batter of the contest. He threw 55 pitches, of which 36 were for strikes.
In addition to Jagielo’s effort, senior OF Alex Robinson (Dallas, Texas/First Baptist Academy) went 3-for-4 with a run scored and stolen base. Junior 2B Frank DeSico (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius H.S.) went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
Notre Dame collected 12 hits on the day. The Irish have eclipsed 10 or more hits in 10 of their 14 games this season – a major improvement from 2011 when Notre Dame had just 14 over its entire 53-game schedule.
Sabatino, who made his first start since May 22, 2010 following Tommy John surgery, allowed three earned runs on five hits in 4.0+ innings of work. He walked five and struck out two.
Junior OF Charlie Markson (Whitefish Bay, Wisc./Whitefish Bay H.S.) and junior C Joe Hudson (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit H.S.) each chipped in with RBI singles. Hudson also gunned down a pair of attempted base stealers.
Dalton Schafer (1-3) was charged with the loss. He allowed seven earned runs on nine hits with one strikeout and two walks.
Notre Dame returns to action on Friday, Mar. 16 at Noon CT against Kansas for its second game from the 2012 Irish Baseball Classic. In-game updates will be available on twitter at @NDBaseball and facebook at NDBaseball while fans can listen to all the action locally on 103.1 FM and on the internet at UND.com.
— ND —