April 9, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame used a total of 26 players, including five different pitchers, to knock off Manchester College, 13-8, in college baseball action from Frank Eck Stadium Wednesday night. Senior Brett Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) set a new NCAA record in the second inning when the shortstop was plunked for the 93rd time in his career, breaking the previous record held by Tony Hurtado of San Francisco (1997-00).
Lilley set the record in 203 games, 18 fewer than Hurtado. He had already broke the Notre Dame school record of 84 (now third most in NCAA history) held by Cody Rizzo (2003-06) earlier this season. Matt Holycross was the 66th different pitcher to ever hit Lilley and Manchester was the 38th different team. Lilley would eventually come around to score, which was the 32nd time he scored after reaching base via the hit-by-pitch.
Lilley, sophomore A.J. Pollock (Hebron, Conn.) and senior Ross Brezovsky (Naples, Fla.) spearheaded the 16-hit Irish barrage. Lilley went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a two-run triple. Pollock went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. He raised his team-high batting average to .409 due in part to his .568 clip over the last 10 games. Brezovsky went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI.
Notre Dame grabbed an 11-1 lead through four innings and took the opportunity to play a number of reserves. Freshman Mick Doyle (LaGrange Park, Ill.), sophomore Ryne Intlekofer (Moorpark, Calif.) and freshman David Casey (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) each had two hits apiece. Intlekofer scored a run and laced a two-run triple, while Casey and Doyle each drove in a pair.
Junior Casey Martin (Chesterton, Ind.) drove in three without a hit. He had a pair of sacrifice flies and also picked up an RBI on a hit-by-pitch.
Senior Justin Gingerich (Goshen, Ind.) made his first career appearance for Notre Dame and pitched a scoreless ninth inning. The right-handed hurler struckout two.
Freshman Ryan Sharpley (Marshall, Mich.) picked up the victory, despite going just 2.0 innings. The righty did allow an earned run on one hit, but also struckout one. Freshman Evan Danieli (East Hanover, N.J.) worked the next 4.0 innings, the first 3.0 of which were scoreless, before running into some tough-luck in the sixth inning. Manchester plated three runs on three hits, none of which left the infield. He was charged with three earned runs on four hits in 4.0 innings.
Holycross was charged with the loss for the Spartans (14-13). He went 2.0 innings and was roughed up for five runs, all earned, on six hits. Derek Hanson was tagged with six earned runs on seven hits in his 1.1 innings.
Notre Dame returns to action this weekend with a BIG EAST series at Villanova. All three games can heard live on ESPN Radio 1490 AM and UND.com.
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