Feb. 20, 2010
GREENVILLE, Miss. – Notre Dame senior RHP Billy Boockford (Glen Elyn, Ill.) picked up his first career victory and senior 1B Casey Martin (Chesterton, Ind.) added two hits, including a solo home run for the second consecutive day, to lead the Irish past Mississippi Valley State, 8-3, in college baseball action from Legion Field Saturday afternoon. An energetic crowd of 1,875 watched Notre Dame improve to 2-0 on the season.
Boockford, who entered today’s contest with just one previous pitching appearance, tossed 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings of relief. The right-handed hurler walked a batter and recorded a strikeout.
Junior Todd Miller (Franklin, Tenn.) picked up the save. Miller, who tied for the team-lead in saves last season with five, worked 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. He surrendered three hits and one walk, but also struck out one.
Martin and junior Cameron McConnell (Bannockburn, Ill.) were the only two Irish players with more than one hit, but seven of the nine starters registered a base hit. It marked the second consecutive day with seven of the nine starting players recorded a hit.
Notre Dame grabbed an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning. Senior 2B Ryne Intlekofer (Moorpark, Calif.) opened the game with a double and came around to score on senior OF David Mills’ (Battle Creek, Mich.) RBI single. Junior 3B Greg Sherry (Mendham, N.J.) added an RBI single in the second to score McConnell, who reached with a one-out single.
After the Delta Devils cut the Irish lead in half, 2-1, Notre Dame pushed the lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. Junior David Casey (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) drew a two-out walk and raced home on junior Mick Doyle’s (LaGrange Park, Ill.) RBI double. Doyle would eventually score on a Mississippi Valley State error to make it 4-1.
The Delta Devils did draw within a run, 4-3, following a two-run single from Jerry Hildreth, but the Irish bullpen kept the lead intact.
In addition to Boockford and Miller’s scoreless efforts, sophomore Ryan Richter (South Bend, Ind.) and sophomore Joe Spano (Verona, N.J.) combined for a scoreless inning of relief.
In all, the Notre Dame bullpen worked 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Junior Brian Dupra (Rochester, N.Y.) allowed one run on two hits and appeared on cruise control before running into trouble in the fifth inning.
Dupra allowed three earned runs on four hits in 4.1 innings of work. He struck out three and walked one.
Notre Dame and Mississippi Valley State conclude its three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Legion Field. First-pitch for the game is scheduled for 11:30 p.m. CT.
— ND —