Junior RHP Ryan Sharpley will make his first start for Notre Dame since returning from shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2009 campaign.

Irish Host Ball State, Illinois-Chicago On Tuesday, Wednesday

March 22, 2010

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame will host its first mid-week games of the season at 5:05 p.m. EDT on Tuesday and Wednesday as it plays host to Ball State and Illinois-Chicago at Frank Eck Stadium.

The Irish will face Ball State for the 10th straight season (all at Frank Eck Stadium) and has won four consecutive games in the series. The Irish have yielded more than four runs to the Cardinals just twice in the last 16 meetings, allowing 3.81 runs per game over that stretch.

Junior Ryan Sharpley will get the start for Notre Dame, his first since April 30, 2008, a contest in which he held Mississippi Valley State scoreless and hitless over 4.0 innings. Overall, Sharpley owns a 4-1 career record as a starter (2.62 ERA in six games) and has an active streak of 10.0 consecutive scoreless innings in starting nods (just three hits allowed during that stretch). Sharpley missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

UIC comes to town for the third time in four seasons, as the Irish defeated the Flames, 4-3, in 2007 before falling, 10-5, a year ago. Notre Dame has claimed 11 of the last 13 games in the series, recording four shutouts during that stretch and allowing UIC just a single run on three other occasions.

Pitching Matchup
Ball State, Tuesday (5:05 p.m.)
RHP Ryan Sharpley (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. RHP Brad Piatt (0-2, 7.98 ERA)

UIC, Wednesday (5:05 p.m.)
TBA vs. TBA

— ND —