Senior SS Brett Lilley now just three HBP shy of all-time NCAA record.

Irish Silenced By Cincinnati, 5-3

March 29, 2008

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Cincinnati starting pitcher Dan Osterbrock tossed a complete game, six-hitter to lead the Bearcats over Notre Dame, 5-3, in the opener of a BIG EAST Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Irish drop to 12-8-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference, while Cincinnati improves to 11-9 and 3-1.

Osterbrock improved to 2-2 on the year with his first and the Bearcats second complete game of the season. The southpaw was charged with just three runs, two earned. Osterbrock walked two, did not register a strikeout and hit three batters.

After the Irish tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Cameron Satterwhite took a 0-1 offering from Irish starter David Phelps (Hazelwood, Mo.) out with the help of a strong wind to left field for a two-run home run. The blast was his second of the year.

Osterbrook retired the final eight Notre Dame batters of the game to secure the victory.

Satterwhite went 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI. Kevin Johnson and Tony Campana each had multi-hit games. Johnson went 3-for-5, while Campana went 2-for-5.

Phelps (3-3) was charged with the loss despite going 8.0 full innings. The right-handed hurler allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits. Phelps has now tossed at least 5.0 innings in 21 of his last 22 starts over the past two seasons.

Notre Dame grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Senior Brett Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) opened the game with his 88th career hit-by-pitch (added two more in the game and now just three shy of breaking the NCAA all-time record). After sophomore David Mills (Battlecreek, Mich.) executed a sacrifice bunt and sophomore A.J. Pollock (Hebron, Conn.) grounded out, junior Jeremy Barnes (Garland, Texas) ripped a 1-2 breaking ball back up the middle to score Lilley.

Cincinnati answered with a run of its own in the top of the second inning to tie the score, 1-1, on a RBI ground out from Satterwhite.

Notre Dame regained a one-run lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the third inning. The Irish loaded the bases with no outs, but were only able to manage a run on senior Ross Brezovsky’s (Naples, Fla.) sacrifice fly. Barnes hit a bullet that deflected off the drawn-in Cincinnati third baseman’s chest and Mike Spina was able to get the lead runner at home for the first out of the inning. Brezovsky then belted a deep fly into the right centerfield gap that looked bound for extra-bases, but Bearcat centerfielder Tony Campana made a great running catch. Mills scored easily, but Pollock was thrown out at home trying to tag from second base.

Cincinnati quickly evened the score at 2-2 in the fourth inning. After Phelps plunked Josh Harrison to open the frame, he moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Phelps then fanned Tyler Goodro and got a routine fly ball to center from Satterwhite, but Pollock misjudged the ball and it sailed over his head for a run scoring double.

The Bearcats took their first lead of the game, 3-2, with a solo tally in the top of the sixth inning on a two-out RBI single from Ryan Baker, but Notre Dame drew even in the bottom of the seventh inning on Pollock’s sacrifice fly scoring Lilley (who reached on his third hit-by-pitch of the afternoon).

— ND —