May 3, 2009

Recap | Final Stats

Notre Dame vs. Connecticut
May 3, 2009

  • Notre Dame loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but failed to score a run. It marked the third time in the series that the Irish failed to score a run in a bases loaded, no out situation.
  • Notre Dame’s run in the bottom of the seventh inning was the first earned run of the series against the UConn bullpen. The Huskies’ bullpen had gone 8.2 innings in the series without surrendering an earned run.
  • Junior Brayden Ashdown (Tucson, Ariz.) came through with a game-winning, walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the first walk-off victory of the season for the Irish.
  • Ashdown has excelled off the bench for Notre Dame this season. He is not batting .625 (10-for-16) with six RBI, including game-winning hits against both Purdue (2.22) and now Connecticut.
  • Freshman Joe Spano (Verona, N.J.) registered the first victory of his career. The southpaw allowed a game-tying double to the first batter he faced in the ninth, but got a double play ground out to keep the game knotted, 4-4.
  • Junior Eric Maust (Alpharetta, Ga.) registered his fourth pickoff of the season in the top of he first inning. He not only leads the Irish staff, but also ranks tied for fifth in the BIG EAST.
  • Maust worked out of a second and third jam with two outs in the third inning.
  • Maust retired seven of the next eight before running into trouble in the sixth inning. The Huskies did scratch a run off Maust in the inning (3-2), but the righty retired the final two UConn batters of the inning with the tying run in scoring position.
  • Maust tossed at least 7.0 innings for the sixth time in 11 starts this season. It marked the third time this year and sixth career outing that Maust tossed 8.0 or more innings.
  • Maust lasted just 2.0 innings and was touched up for five earned runs on six hits in his last start against Louisville.
  • Sophomore Golden Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn.) extended his hitting streak to six games with his single in the bottom of the first inning.
  • Tate added his seventh double of the year in the bottom of the third inning.
  • Tate added a clutch RBI single to give the Irish a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
  • Tate had only eight RBI over his first 34 games this season, but has driven in five runs over his last six games.
  • Tate set a career-high with four hits.
  • Sophomore David Casey (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) singled in the bottom of the first base, without ever reaching first. Casey lined a single that Tate was unable to avoid as the ball clipped him on the foot. Casey has now recorded a hit in 13 of his last 14 starts.
  • Casey added a key RBI double to give Notre Dame a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
  • Casey gave Notre Dame a 4-2 lead with his second sacrifice fly of the season in the bottom of the seventh.
  • Over his last 20 games, Casey is batting .429 (27-for-63) with 14 runs scored, eight doubles, three home runs and 20 RBI.
  • Sophomore Mick Doyle (LaGrange Park, Ill.) swiped his second base of the season in the bottom of the second inning. After his career-best 11-game hitting streak ended yesterday, Doyle singled and doubled in his first two at-bats Sunday.