Feb. 22, 2013
THE MATCHUP
Notre Dame
Fighting Irish (2-1)
vs
Tulane
Green Wave (3-1)
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium (5,000)
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Friday (6:30 p.m. CT)
RHP Sean Fitzgerald (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs RHP Tony Rizzotti (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday (2:00 p.m. CT)
RHP Adam Norton (1-0, 3.86 ERA) vs RHP Alex Byo (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday (Noon CT)
RHP David Hearne (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs RHP Kyle McKenzie (1-0, 3.60 ERA)
LIVE GAME COVERAGE
Live Video: TulaneGreenWave.com
Live Audio: WHME 103.1 FM (Sean Stires, pbp); UND.com
Live Stats: UND.com
WEATHER REPORT
Friday, Feb. 22
Thunderstorms
High 69, Low 56
Saturday, Feb. 23
Mostly Cloudy
High 69, Low 54
Sunday, Feb. 24
High 66, Low 62
Showers
IN THE BATTERS BOX — Notre Dame hits the road for a difficult three-game set this weekend at Tulane. The Irish and Green Wave open the series at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The two teams return to action on Saturday (2:00 p.m. CT) and Sunday (Noon CT). All three games can be heard on WHME 103.1 FM as well as UND.com. The entire series will be streamed live on at TulaneGreenWave.com.
LOOKING BACK — Notre Dame opened the season taking two of three games in the 2013 Snowbird Baseball Classic. The Irish captured their first two games from the weekend over Florida Gulf Coast and Ohio State to setup a title game with Mercer, but Notre Dame came up a run short in a 5-4 defeat. The Eagles went 2-1 and the Buckeyes went 1-2, while defending BIG EAST tournament champions and NCAA Super Regional qualifier St. John’s went 0-4.
- The Irish had five different players pick up multi-hit games over the opening weekend. Junior 3B Eric Jagielo, sophomore LF Ryan Bull, senior 2B Frank Desico and junior 1B Trey Mancini all had a pair, while freshman SS Lane Richards had one in the opener.
- The Notre Dame bullpen worked 11.0 innings over the three games this past weekend and allowed just one earned run – good for a 0.82 ERA. The sextet allowed just seven hits as Florida Gulf Coast, Ohio State and Mercer batted just .184 (7-for-38) against the Irish relief corp.
- Freshman RHP Nick McCarty picked up the victory over the Eagles with 5.0 scoreless innings of relief in his Notre Dame debut. McCarty limited Florida Gulf Coast to four singles and did not issue a walk, along with four strikeouts. He was the first Irish rookie to pick up a victory in the season opener since Grant Johnson on Feb. 22, 2002.
- Junior RHP Dan Slania and sophomore RHP Cristian Torres combined to throw 3.0 scoreless innings of relief in the setback against Mercer. Torres fanned a couple in an inning of work, while Slania collected three strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Junior RHP Donnie Hissa did allow an unearned run on two hits in the loss to the Bears (0.1 IP), while freshman LHP Zak Kutsulis allowed an earned run on one hit in 1.2 innings. Sophomore RHP Matt Ternowchek tossed a scoreless inning in the rout of Ohio State.
- DeSico went hitless in his first four plate appearances of the 2013 season, but followed with a walk-off RBI single to lead the Irish past Florida Gulf Coast, 6-5, in 10 innings. He then doubled, homered and singled twice in his first four times to the plate against Ohio State as Notre Dame routed the Buckeyes, 13-3.
- DeSico’s four hits spearheaded an Irish offense that totaled 16 against Ohio State. He drove in two and scored four runs. Jagielo went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI, including a three-run home run. Bull also chipped in with three hits (3-for-5).
- Senior RHP Adam Norton picked up the victory with 7.0 solid innings. He limited the Buckeyes to three earned runs on 10 hits. Norton fanned four and did not issue a walk.
- Bull, Jagielo and DeSico combined in the twin bill for eight runs scored, double, three home runs and 10 RBI. The trio batted .571 (16-for-28) in the victories over Ohio State and Florida Gulf Coast.
- The Irish not only trailed 4-0 in the early innings, but they also found themselves down 5-3 heading to the bottom of the ninth inning. Senior co-captain Charlie Markson lined a one-out single to center field to bring the tying run to the plate in Jagielo. The Golden Spkies candidate rose to the occasion and absolutely crushed a two-run home run that caromed halfway up the batter’s eye in straightaway center field – 400-feet from home plate.
- The game remained tied, 5-5, until the Irish half of the 10th. After freshman RF James Nevant led off the frame with a walk, freshman Richards perfectly executed a sacrifice bunt that advanced freshman pinch runner Kyle Richardson into scoring position. After a Notre Dame strikeout, DeSico delivered his first career walk-off single with a base hit to right field that plated Richardson.
- DeSico made a winner of McCarty, who entered in the top of the sixth inning and tossed 5.0 shutout innings of relief in his first career appearance in an Irish uniform. The right-handed hurler (1-0) limited the Eagles to four hits, all singles, and struck out four. McCarty did not issue a walk.
- Eight of the nine players in Aoki’s lineup collected hits in the opener. Bull and Richards paced the 13-hit attack for Notre Dame with three a piece. Bull went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Richards went 3-for-3 with a run scored, RBI and sacrifice bunt. Jagielo went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. The round tripper was the 17th of his career. Mancini added a long ball of his own – a solo bomb that started the Irish comeback in the bottom of the fourth. It was Mancini’s 22nd career homer.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Notre Dame TulaneBatting Average .324 .214Runs Per Game 7.7 2.7Home Runs 5 0Slugging Percentage .523 .306Batters' BB+HBP-SO Margin +2 -13On-Base Percentage .421 .300Stolen Bases 5-8 3-3Team ERA 3.86 1.38Opponent Batting Average .259 .147Pitchers' SO-BB Ratio 4.33 2.22Pitchers' SO Per 9 Innings 8.36 6.92Pitchers' BB Per 9 Innings 2.66 3.12Fielding Pct. (Errors) .959 (5) .945 (6)Double Plays Turned 2 1Record at Home 0-0 0-0Record on Road (including neutral) 2-1 2-1Record in One-Run Games 1-1 0-0Record in Extra Innings 1-0 0-0
NOTRE DAME-TULANE SERIES HISTORY — The Green Wave own a 9-5-1 all-time series edge over the Irish, but the last 10 meetings have been split with each side winning five times. Notre Dame has actually taken four of the last five meetings with Tulane, including a pair of matchups at the 2000 NCAA Regional in Starkville, Miss. The Irish proved victories, 8-4 and 10-6, to ultimately reach the regional championship game before succumbing to host Mississippi State. Prior to ’00, the most recent games of the series opened Notre Dame’s 1994 season, with the Irish winning two of three at Tulane (8-2, 9-0, 2-6).
- The series dates back to a pair of late-March games in 1964 at Tulane (a 5-0 win for the Green Wave and 3-3 tie).
- Ten years later, Notre Dame opened its 1974 season with a 10-game spring break trip through New Orleans. The Irish dropped three at Tulane to end that trip: 7-8, 0-3 and 1-5.
- Notre Dame’s seven games at the Cal-Riverside Invitational early in the 1986 season included an 8-6 loss to Tulane.
- The final season of the Larry Gallo era (1987) saw the Irish play three mid-April games at Tulane, with an 8-6 Notre Dame win sandwiched around 11-3 and 7-1 losses.
- Aside from the ’94 series and ’00 NCAA regional in Starkville, the only other games between Notre Dame and Tulane in the last 25 seasons came on Mar. 11, 1991. The Irish lost, 5-3, to the Green Wave in Turchin Stadium’s dedication outing.
NOTRE DAME-TULANE CONNECTIONS — Tulane RHP Kyle McKenzie hails from Boston, Mass., and third-year Notre Dame head coach Mik Aoki spent seven seasons, four as head coach at Boston College (2007-2010).
- Notre Dame sophomore Conor Biggio and Tulane freshman Ian Gibaut are natives of Houston.
- Former Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White (2000-08) served in the same capacity at Tulane from 1991-96.
LOUISIANA NATIVES – Notre Dame’s list of all-time baseball monogram winners includes 901 players who hail from 47 states, Washington, D.C., Panama and Ontario. The Irish have had nine players from the State of Louisianna earn a monogram.
- Two of Notre Dame’s 18-known, all-time brother combinations hailed from Louisianna. Art (OF, 1912) and Francis Carmody (2B, 1915) hailed from Shreveport, La., while Jack (OF, 1975) and Casey Snyder (OF, ’83-84) called New Orleans home.
- One of greatest father-son combinations in Irish history orginated from the Bayou State. Pitcher George Restovich (1966-67; 3.68, 5-3) was a native of Shreveport. His son, C/1B George, Jr., (1B, ’94-96; .327, 22 HR, 155 RBI) was one of the most productive hitters in Irish history.
FAR & WIDE — Notre Dame’s 2013 roster includes 35 players from 17 different home states.
- The top 10 position players and top three starting pitchers hail from 10 different states, including three from Illinois, two from Ohio and one each from Florida, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota, Virginia and Indiana.
ROAD TRIPPERS — Notre Dame will be playing its first 17 games away from home, in six different cities: Sarasota, Fla., New Orleans, Cary, N.C. and Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, Calif.
- The Irish then will spend virtually all of Apr. (12 of 17 games) in the friendly confines of Eck Stadium, including the first seven games of the month.
- Notre Dame’s final seven games of the regular season will all take place on the road, including BIG EAST three-game series at St. John’s (May 11-12) and at Cincinnati (May 16-18). The Irish will also travel to Western Michigan on May 14.
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION — Notre Dame captured five of its nine BIG EAST series in 2012, including four of its last six. The Irish had not collected more conference series victories in one season since 2006. The ’06 Notre Dame club captured seven BIG EAST series and posted a 45-17-1 overall record and 21-5-1 mark in conference play.
- Notre Dame registered 31 victories in 2012, the most by the Irish since the 2009 campaign. Notre Dame managed just 23 and 22, respectively, in 2011 and 2010.
- Notre Dame picked up multiple victories and advanced to the BIG EAST tournament semifinals for the first time since 2009. In fact, it only marked the second time the Irish have accomplished the feat since 2006.
2012 IRISH YOUTH ON PARADE — Notre Dame was the youngest team in the BIG EAST by a wide margin in 2012. The Irish led the conference in most starts by true freshmen (177), most starts by different true freshman (11) and highest average of true freshman starters per game (3.05).
- There were 580 total starts in 2012. Here is an interesting breakdown of starts by class:
Freshmen (177): Ryan Bull (52), Mac Hudgins (37), Jason McMurray (24), Conor Biggio (15), Phil Mosey (14), Kevin DeFilippis (11), Pat Connaughton (10), Blaise Lezynski (8), Alex Carter (2), Matt Ternowchek (2), Kyle Rubbinaccio (2).
Sophomores (119): Eric Jagielo (58), Trey Mancini (54), Sean Fitzgerald (7).
Juniors (189): Frank Desico (58), Joe Hudson (57), Charlie Markson (51), Adam Norton (17), Patrick Veerkamp (6).
Seniors (95): Alex Robinson (44), Tommy Chase (35), Will Hudgins (15), Steve Sabatino (1).
- Here was the percentage breakdown of starts by class:
Freshmen: 177 (30.5%)
Sophomores: 119 (20.5%)
Juniors: 189 (32.6%)
Seniors: 95 (16.4%)
- Here is an interesting look at a comparison of the 2012 class breakdown against previous Irish clubs:
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008Freshmen: 177 (30.5%) Freshmen: 109 (20.6%) Freshmen: 102 (18.8%) Freshmen: 18 (3.1%) Freshmen: 101 (18.4%)Sophomores: 119 (20.5%) Sophomores: 156 (29.5%) Sophomores: 23 (4.3%) Sophomores: 282 (47.8%) Sophomores: 213 (38.7%)Juniors: 189 (32.6%) Juniors: 37 (7.0%) Juniors: 171 (31.7%) Juniors: 228 (38.6%) Juniors: 67 (12.2%)Seniors: 95 (16.4%) Seniors: 227 (42.9%) Seniors: 244 (45.2%) Seniors: 62 (10.5%) Seniors: 169 (30.7%)
- Notre Dame’s freshman class started 177 combined games in 58 outings, which eclipsed the 2011 total of 109 freshmen starts (that total came over 53 games).
Combined Games Started By Freshman (Total Games Played)/Avg. Freshman Starters Per Game2012: 177 (58)/3.1 2006: 63 (63)/1.0 2000: 109 (64)/1.7 1994: 124 (62)/2.02011: 109 (53)/2.1 2005: 167 (63)/2.7 1999: 217 (61)/3.6 1993: 137 (62)/2.22010: 102 (54)/1.9 2004: 69 (63)/1.1 1998: 55 (58)/0.9 1992: 174 (63)/2.82009: 18 (59)/0.3 2003: 241 (63)/3.8 1997: 141 (60)/2.4 1991: 102 (61)/1.72008: 101 (55)/1.8 2002: 72 (68)/1.1 1996: 144 (62)/2.3 1990: 137 (58)/2.42007: 146 (56)/2.6 2001: 126 (63)/2.0 1995: 37 (61)/0.6 1989: 185 (68)/2.7
- To better understand the graph above, Notre Dame’s 2012 lineup averaged 3.1 freshman per starting nine. That is the highest such average since 2003 when the club averaged 3.8. It is the third-highest average since 1989 – a span of 24 years of Irish baseball.
- The ’12 club registered 177 combined starts by freshman during the season (58 games). The 177 starts was the most combined by rookies since ’03 and fourth-most since ’89.
- The 11 different freshman to start games in ’12 was the most since ’89. The 2008 and 1989 Notre Dame squads started 10 freshman over the course of those campaigns.
Number of Different Freshman Starters2012: 11 2006: 4 2000: 6 1994: 92011: 3 2005: 6 1999: 8 1993: 62010: 5 2004: 8 1998: 3 1992: 82009: 6 2003: 9 1997: 7 1991: 52008: 10 2002: 9 1996: 5 1990: 92007: 9 2001: 4 1995: 4 1989: 10
FRESHMAN FORCE — Notre Dame’s 2013 opening-day lineup included two seniors, three juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen. It marked the second consecutive season opener that three freshmen appearned in the Irish starting lineup. The only season opener over the last 19 years with more than three freshman starters was 2003.
Notre Dame Freshman Starters
1995 – no freshman starters
1996 – Jeff Wagner (C), Paul Turco (SS)
1997 – Brant Ust (2B), Jeff Felker (1B), Jeff Perconte (RF platoon)
1998 – Alec Porzel (LF)
1999 – Steve Stanley (CF),Paul O’Toole (C),Andrew Bushey (3B)
2000 – Brian Stavisky (RF)
2001 – Steve Sollmann (2B)
2002 – Matt Macri (SS,injured)
2003 – Craig Cooper (LF), Cody Rizzo (RF), Greg Lopez (3B), Steve Andres (DH)
2004 – none (Danny Dressman later started 28 games)
2005 – Brett Lilley (2B/3B), Ross Brezovsky (3B/2B)
2006 – none (Jeremy Barnes later had 55 GS)
2007 – Billy Boockford (RF), A.J. Pollock (3B), Michael Wright (LF)
2008 – David Casey (DH), Mick Doyle (3B)
2009 – None
2010 – None (2B Frank Desico later had 47 GS and Adam Norton had 31)
2011 – Eric Jagielo (1B) (1B Trey Mancini later had 52 GS)
2012 – Mac Hudgins (CF), Phil Mosey (3B), Ryan Bull (DH)
2013 – James Nevant (RF), Lane Richards (SS) Zak Kutsulis (LF)
WALKING A TIGHTROPE — Notre Dame played a pair of one-run games last weekend at the season-opening Snowbird Classic. The Irish topped Florida Gulf Coast, 6-5, in 10 innings and lost to Mercer, 5-4.
- The nip-and-tuck battles are nothing new to Notre Dame. The Irish played 18 games decided by one run in 2012. Notre Dame went 11-7 in those outings. In fact, the Irish also played in 20 such games in 2011 as well (going 10-10).
- In all, Notre Dame has played in 40 different one-run contests since third-year head coach Mik Aoki arrived on campus. That’s 40 of 114 games or just over 35 percent of Aoki’s tenure in an Irish uniform.
- The 11 wins by a single run in 2012 is tied for the most in single-season school history (1990, 1981).
- Notre Dame established the school record for most games decided by a single run in 2011. The 2001 squad also played in 18 games decided by the slimmest of margins.
- Here is a look at the top 10 seasons in terms of most games decided by a single run and those teams records in those contests.
Rank Year 1-run Games Record Rank Year 1-run Wins1. 2011 20 10-10 1. 1990 112. 2001 18 9-9 1981 113. 2002 17 9-8 3. 2012 11 2009 17 10-7 2011 105. 2012 18 11-7 2009 10 1981 16 11-5 2004 107. 1997 15 9-6 1999 10 1990 15 11-4 1998 10 1998 15 10-5 9. 2003 9 2004 15 10-5 2002 9 2001 9 1997 9 1992 9 1967 9 (9-0)
- Notre Dame played in nine more games decided by two runs in 2012. In all, 27 of Notre Dame’s 58 games were decided by two runs or less.
- Over the last three seasons (including 2013), 57 of Notre Dame’s 114 games (exactly 50 percent) have been decided by two runs or less.
Jagielo, McCarty Named To BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll — Notre Dame junior 3B Eric Jagielo and freshman RHP Nick McCarty were each named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. The duo helped the Irish take two of three games at the 2013 Snowbird Classic.
- Jagielo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North H.S.) batted .545 (6-for-11) for the weekend with a double, two home runs and eight RBI. His batting average was the fifth-best by an Irish player over the season’s opening weekend since 1995 and none of the previous four players with a higher batting average had multiple home runs. Jagielo posted a slugging percentage of 1.182, on-base percentage of .667 and OPS of 1.849.
- Jagielo opened the season with a 2-for-4 effort against Florida Gulf Coast, including a massive two-run home run to centerfield in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game, 5-5, before Notre Dame won in the bottom of the 10th. He followed up that performance with a three-hit game in a 13-3 rout of Ohio State. Jagielo went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a three-run home run and career-high five RBI. He was named Perfect Game’s top player across the nation from Saturday’s contests.
- McCarty (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral H.S.) made his Irish debut on Saturday against Florida Gulf Coast, tossed five shutout innings of relief and picked up the victory. He entered the game in the sixth inning with Notre Dame trailing 5-3. McCarty blanked the Eagles before the Irish could tie it in the ninth and ultimately win the game in the 10th. He limited FGCU to four hits and struck out four.
- McCarty was the first Irish rookie to pick up a victory in the season opener since Grant Johnson on Feb. 22, 2002. He also is first Notre Dame freshman pitcher to receive BIG EAST honor roll accolades since Sean Fitzgerald on Apr. 4, 2011.
IRISH DIG THE LONG BALL — Notre Dame hit 36 home runs in 2012, which led the BIG EAST. The Irish registered just 18 long balls in 2011 and only three teams in the conference had fewer.
- Notre Dame was the only team in the BIG EAST with a pair of players with 10 or more home runs. Eric Jagielo (13) and Trey Mancini (12) combined for 25 round trippers. Jagielo was second in the BIG EAST, while Mancini ranked tied for third in the league.
- Jagielo and Mancini form one of the nation’s top power-hitting duos. They are the only returning tandem in the country with 12 or more home runs last year.
- Prior to last season, Notre Dame had not had multiple players with 10 or more home runs in the same season since 2009, when Jeremy Barnes (15) and A.J. Pollock (10) accomplished the feat.
- Mancini and Jagielo were the first set of sophomore to collect double digit home runs in the same season for the Irish since 2004. Matt Bransfield and Craig Cooper hit 12 and 10, respectively, that season.
- Mancini and Jagielo went back-to-back with home runs on two separate occasions in 2012. The duo smacked consecutive home runs against Michigan on Mar. 11 and then did the same feat against Northwestern on May 15.
IRISH STAFF MAKES YOU EARN IT — As an entire staff, Notre Dame issued 160 walks in 511.2 innings in 2012. The Irish posted a 2.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio and averaged just 2.81 free passes per nine innings pitched.
- Notre Dame walked two or less in 30 different games in 2012. The Irish did not walk a single batter in a game six times.
- Here is the top five in a number of single-season pitching categories:
Rank SO/BB Ratio Year Rank BB Allowed/9 IP Year1. 2.95 (504/171) 2006 1. 2.48 (151/547.2) 20012. 2.78 (420/151) 2001 2. 2.63 (162/554.2) 20043. 2.69 (436/162) 2004 3. 2.67 (143/481.2) 20114. 2.61 (417/160) 2012 4. 2.81 (160/511.2) 20125. 2.57 (368/143) 2011 5. 2.82 (161/513.0) 1994
- Notre Dame led the BIG EAST in fewest walks in 2012. The Irish also the league in the same category in 2011.
SLANIA HEADLINES AN IMPROVING BULLPEN — Notre Dame junior RHP Dan Slania is one of the top closers in college baseball. He has already been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award watch list. Slania captured the 2012 Russ Ford Award (given to the top relief pitcher in the Cape Cod League. He led the Cape with 10 saves and helped Cotuit post the league’s best regular-season record (30-14). Slania went 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA and 39 punch outs.
- Slania led the BIG EAST in saves (13), games finished (29), appearances (31) and relief appearances (31) in 2012. He owned a 3-0 record with a 2.03 ERA in 31.0 innings of work. Slania struck out 37 and walked 12.
- Slania has been outstanding as a closer/late inning reliever over his three years with the Irish. He owns a career record of 5-3 with a 2.12 ERA and 17 saves.
Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so b/avg2011 2.35 2-3 23 0 0 0/4 4 30.2 28 12 8 9 20 .2522012 2.03 3-0 31 0 0 0/2 13 31.0 36 10 7 12 37 .3002013 0.00 0-0 1 0 0 0/0 0 2.0 0 0 0 1 3 .000Total 2.12 5-3 55 0 0 0/6 17 63.2 64 22 15 22 60 .270
- Slania’s 2.12 career ERA is the best in school history for a pitcher with at least 60.0 innings pitched.
Career ERA (min. 60 IP)1. Dan Slania (2011-) 2.12 (15/63.2)2. Mike Dury (2004-07) 2.20 (20/81.2)3. Nick Palihnich (1959-61) 2.36 (39/148.2)4. Jack Mitchell (1959-61) 2.49 (41/148.1)5. Aaron Heilman (1998-2001) 2.49 (109/393.2)6. Larry Mohs (1994-97) 2.52 (33/117.2)7. Brandon Viloria (2000-03) 2.58 (24/83.2)8. Phil Donnelly (1961-63) 2.64 (33/112.2)9. Ryan Doherty (2003-05) 2.84 (31/98.1)10. Tom Price (1991-94) 2.84 (123/390.0)
- Slania’s 13 saves in 2012 ranks tied for second in single-season Notre Dame history, while his 17 career saves is fifth in school history.
- Slania’s 31 appearances in 2012 are tied for the second-most in single-season school history. It was the most appearances by an Irish hurler since Aaron Heilman had 31 in 1998.
Single-Season Appearances1. Mike Coffey (1989) 372. Dan Slania (2012) 31 Aaron Heilman (1998) 314. John Corbin (2000) 30 J.P. Gagne (2003) 30 Ryan Doherty (2004) 30 Kyle Weiland (2006) 308. Joe Thaman (2004) 299. Chris Michalak (1990) 28 John Corbin (1999) 28 J.P. Gagne (2002) 28 Dan Kapala (2004) 28
TREY “BOOM-BOOM” MANCINI — Junior 1B Trey Mancini is batting .307 with 43 runs scored, 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 44 RBI. He has recorded an .550 slugging percentage and .382 on-base percentage.
- Mancini, who was named second-team all-BIG EAST, hit .317 with 47 runs scored, 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 2012. He recorded a .545 slugging percentage and .395 on-base percentage. Mancini and Jagielo were the first Notre Dame sophomore tandem with double-figure home runs since 2004 when Craig Cooper (10) and Matt Bransfield (12) accomplished the feat.
- Mancini had 17 multi-hit games, including a four-hit affair and seven three-hit games. Mancini also led the Irish in multi-RBI contests with 15, including a trio of three RBI outings. He ranked tied for third in the BIG EAST in home runs (12), fifth in slugging percentage (.575), tied for seventh in RBI (45) and tied for seventh in runs scored (47).
- Mancini is a career .320 hitter with 22 home runs and 84 RBI in 110 games. Here is a look at his career statistics.
Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb ob%2011 .323 53-52 189 33 61 15 3 9 34 109 .577 19 .3852012 .317 54-54 202 47 64 10 0 12 45 110 .545 22 .3952013 .333 3-3 15 1 5 0 2 1 5 12 .800 0 .313TOTAL .320 110-109 406 81 130 25 5 22 84 231 .569 41 .387
- Mancini was named 2011 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year after leading Notre Dame in Notre Dame in batting (.323), hits (61), doubles (15), triples (three), home runs (nine), RBI (34), total bases (109), slugging percentage (.577), on-base percentage (.385), multiple hit games (17), multiple RBI games (nine) and runs scored (33).
- Mancini was the first Irish rookie and eighth player in program history to lead Notre Dame in all three triple-crown categories (batting average, home runs and RBI). He also was named third team all-BIG EAST and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.
THOUGH SHALL NOT ISSUE A FREE PASS — Notre Dame senior RHP Adam Norton led the NCAA in fewest walks per nine innings (0.64) and ranked third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.71 in 2012. Both totals topped the BIG EAST categories as well. Norton fanned 61 and issued seven free passes (two intentional) in 98.0 innings of work.
- Norton pitched into the sixth inning in each of his first nine starts and worked into the seventh inning nine different times in 2012. He collected seven quality starts.
- Norton failed to issue a single walk in nine of his 15 starts in 2012. He walked more than one batter just once.
- Norton was just shy of the school record for fewest walks per nine innings pitched.
Fewest Walks Per 9 IP (min. 30 IP) BB/9 IP (BB/IP)1. Tom Price (1994) 0.58 (9/140.1)2. Adam Norton (2012) 0.64 (7/98.0)3. Tom Thornton (2006) 0.77 (7/82.1)4. David Mills (2010) 0.89 (3/30.1)5. Todd Miller (2011) 1.22 (11/81.1)6. Scott Cavey (1999) 1.23 (8/58.1)7. Alan Walania (1990) 1.29 (10/70.0)8. James Cross (1985) 1.33 (9/61.0)9. Danny Tamayo (2001) 1.36 (17/112.2)10. Eric Maust (2007) 1.42 (7/44.1)
- Norton also owns the school record in both fewest career walks per nine innings pitched and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Fewest Walks Per 9 IP (min. 60 IP) BB/9 IP (BB/IP)1. Adam Norton (2010-) 1.19 (23/173.2)2. Brandon Viloria (2000-03) 1.61 (15/83.2)3. Alan Walania (1990-93) 1.64 (59/324.0)4. Todd Miller (2008-11) 1.70 (28/148.2)5. David Mills (2007-10) 1.70 (13/68.2)6. Tom Thornton (2003-06) 1.73 (64/332.2)7. Sean Fitzgerald (2011-) 1.81 (22/109.2)8. Tom Price (1991-94) 1.85 (80/390.0)9. Brad Cross (1983-86) 1.88 (27/129.1)10. Chris Niesel (2002-04) 1.88 (57/272.2)
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (min. 60 IP) Ratio (SO/BB)1. Adam Norton (2010-) 5.30 (122/23)2. Chris Niesel (2002-04) 4.09 (233/57)3. Alan Walania (1990-93) 4.00 (236/59)4. Sean Fitzgerald (2011-) 3.77 (83/22)5. Aaron Heilman (1998-2001) 3.66 (425/116)6. Ryan Doherty (2003-05) 3.62 (134/37)7. Nick Palihnich (1959-61) 3.59 (115/32)8. Tom Price (1991-94) 3.54 (276/78)
JAGIELO EARNS RAVE REVIEWS — Third-year Notre Dame head coach Mik Aoki raved about the hitting prowess of junior 3B Eric Jagielo as a rookie in 2011, but the Downers Grove, Ill., native had an up-and-down first year. Jagielo batted .269 with 13 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 28 RBI, but took off in 2012.
- Jagielo, a second-team all-BIG EAST selection, batted .310 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 2012. He was the first Notre Dame sophomore with double-figure home runs since 2004 when Craig Cooper (10) and Matt Bransfield (12) accomplished the feat. Jagielo ranked among the top-10 in the BIG EAST in home runs (second), slugging (fourth) and total bases (fifth).
- In BIG EAST games only, Jagielo ranked tied for third in home runs (five) and tied for eighth in walks (14). Jagielo had 20 multi-hit games, which ranked third on the Irish, including eight three-hit affairs (tops on Notre Dame). He also ranked second on Notre Dame in multi-RBI contests with 11, including a season-high five RBI in the victory over Georgetown on Apr. 20, 2012.
- Jagielo has not only started every game of his Irish career – a span of 114 games dating back to the start of 2011 – but he has hit in the three hole from the start.
- Jagielo is a career .297 hitter with 20 home runs and 79 RBI in 114 games. Here is a look at his career statistics.
Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb ob%2011 .269 53-53 201 32 54 13 1 5 28 84 .418 25 .3552012 .310 58-58 229 33 71 15 0 13 43 125 .546 28 .3992013 .545 3-3 11 3 6 1 0 2 8 13 1.182 22 .667TOTAL .297 114-114 441 66 131 29 1 20 79 222 .503 55 .387
MLB CONNECTIONS — In addition to several current Major League players who honed their craft with the Irish baseball program, a number of Notre Dame graduates have served as top executives in Major League Baseball: Cleveland Indians owner and CEO Lawrence Dolan (’54, ’56 Notre Dame Law), Indians president Paul Dolan (’83), MLB senior VP of operations/former Arizona Diamondbacks GM/VP Joe Garagiola, Jr. (’72), Oakland A’s president Mike Crowley (’85), retired Los Angeles Dodgers VP of External Affairs Tommy Hawkins (’59, Notre Dame basketball star), MLB Executive VP of Administration John McHale (’71), MLB Director of Special Events Brian O’Gara (’89) and former Tampa Bay owner/CEO/VP Vince Naimoli (’59).
- Brad Lidge ranked as one of MLB’s top rookies in his first full season with the Houston Astros and was the winning pitcher in the historic no-hitter versus the New York Yankees on June 11, 2003 – the first no hitter versus the Yankees since 1958 (6,980 games). Lidge set the NL record for strikeouts by a reliever in 2004 and currently pitches for the Washington Nationals. Six other recent Irish hurlers have pitched in MLB, including Aaron Heilman (’01) with the N.Y. Mets, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, Jeff Samardzija (’06) with the Chicago Cubs, Jeff Manship (’06) with the Minnesota Twins, John Axford with the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers, Christian Parker and David Phelps with the Yankees and Kyle Weiland (’09) with the Boston Red Sox, while two early-1990s Notre Dame players – INF Craig Counsell (’92) and LHP Chris Michalak (’93) – have played for multiple MLB teams.
- Notre Dame had seven former players appear in a MLB game in 2012, including Axford (Brewers), Lidge (Phillies), Manship (Twins), Samardzija (Cubs), Weiland (Red Sox), Phelps (Yankees) and A.J. Pollock (Diamondbacks).
- The remaining 10 members of the BIG EAST Conference had 14 former players participate in an MLB game in 2012.
- Phelps (’08) made his big league debut for the New York Yankees on Apr. 8, 2012, against the Tampa Bay Rays. Phelps then tossed 2.1 perfect innings of relief with four strikeouts against the Baltimore Orioles on Apr. 10.
- Pollock (’09) made his big league debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Apr. 18, 2012, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started in centerfield and batted seventh in the order.
- A total of 73 all-time former Notre Dame players have suited up in an MLB uniform – more than any other BIG EAST school and tied for fifth-most in Division I history.
NOTABLE ALUMNI — Notre Dame’s 901 baseball monogram winners include several in successful administrative careers: recently retired Notre Dame Alumni Association executive director Chuck Lennon (C; 1960-61); former Notre Dame assistant vice president for special events Jim Gibb