Mar. 14, 1997

Ust and Henebry Lead 7-2 Win Over Northeastern Illinois In Irish Baseball Classic

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Freshman Brant Ust broke out of his season-long, two game “hitless streak” – going 3-for-4 while scoring three runs and driving in two others – while senior lefthander Gregg Henebry threw seven innings of four-hit, shutout ball as Notre Dame defeated Northern Illinois, 7-2, in third day action of the Irish Baseball Classic, held at Wolff Municipal Stadium.

Notre Dame (8-6) will face Creighton – 15-10 winner over Penn State- in Saturdays tournament championship game.

Notre Dame jumped ahead with two runs in the third, after third baseman Matt Dunne failed to come up with a slow, two-out roller off the bat of senior Randall Brooks, who moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Ust’s single to right, with Ust moving to second on the throw. Senior Mike Amehein then duplicated Ust’s effort, fisting a single to the opposite field for a 2-0 Irish lead.

The Irish surged to a 5-0 lead in the fifth, ignited by senior Pat O’Keefe’s leadoff triple to right-center field and Ust’s one-out RBI single through the left side of the in field. Amrhien then appeared to have lined into an inning-ending double play but second baseman Mike Mizwicki threw wildly to first, with Ust moving all the way to third. Sophomore Jeff Wagner then walked and freshman Jeff Felker’s blopper fell between three Eagles players in left-center field, plating Ust, before sophomore Allen Greene brought Wagner home on a sharp single to the right.

The Irish added a run in the seventh, behind Ust’s groundrule double to the opposite field. Amrhein’s single to left and another error by Mizwicki.

The Eagles got on the board in the eighth and the ninth, but not enough to overcome the Notre Dame lead.

Amrheim joined Ust with three hits, plus two RBI.

Northeastern Ill.  000 000 011  -  2  9  4Notre Dame         002 030 11x  -  7 12  0

NI: Paskvan, Sullivan (7) and Raciti, Cartier. ND: Henebry, Widelski, Davis and Wagner, Knect, Hay. WP – Henebry (2-1). LP – Paskvan (2-2). HR – none. Notables: Ust (ND) 3-for-4, 2 RBI 3 runs scored; Amrhein (ND) 3-for-5, 2 RBI.