March 26, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame C Joe Hudson (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit H.S.) was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll, it was announced Monday by the conference office. Hudson captured BIG EAST Player of the Week back on Feb. 20.
Hudson carried Notre Dame to a 5-0 week, including a sweep of Pittsburgh to open the BIG EAST conference slate. The sweep was the first for the Irish over the Panthers since 2006 and first to open league action since 2008. In fact, Notre Dame had not opened conference play with a three-game sweep at home since 1998. The Irish also collected their first five-game winning streak at home since 2008.
In four games played, Hudson batted .500 (7-for-14) with three runs scored, three doubles and nine RBI. He collected multi-RBI in each contest. Hudson registered a .714 slugging percentage and .563 on-base percentage. He also gunned down one attempted base stealer and collected one pickoff.
Hudson was at his best during the sweep of Pittsburgh. He hit .400 (4-for-10) with two runs scored, three doubles and seven RBI. Hudson had a pair of doubles, two RBI and one run scored in a come-from-behind victory in the series opener. He collected a two-run single in a three-run first inning of Saturday’s 3-2 triumph and then delivered the dagger in the series finale with a bases loaded, three-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Irish clinging to a 4-3 lead.
Hudson opened the week with his third three-hit game – and team-best 10th multi-hit outing – of 2012. Hudson went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, run scored and two RBI in the home-opening victory over Eastern Michigan.
Hudson entered this season with 20 career RBI, yet has already equaled that output in 2012. He leads the Irish with a .408 batting average.
Notre Dame returns to the diamond at 6:00 p.m. CT on Tues., Mar. 27 at UIC. Junior RHP Patrick Veerkamp (Fort Wayne, Ind./ Homestead H.S.) will get the start for the Irish.
In-game updates will be available on twitter at @NDBaseball and facebook at NDBaseball while fans can listen to all the action locally on 103.1 FM and on the internet at UND.com.
— ND —