Mar. 29, 1997

Schmalz Turns in Complete Game to Down UConn

Second Game of Doubleheader Cancelled with Tie Score in Fifth

STORRS, Conn. – Senior right-hander Darin Schmalz (Barrington, Ill.) turned in his third complete game of the season and senior catcher Mike Amrhein (Oak Park, Ill.) extended his hitting streak to 19 games as Notre Dame defeated Connecticut, 7-2, in the first game of a scheduled Big East Conference doubleheader Saturday at J.O. Christian Field.

The second game of the doubleheader was cancelled due to rain, after the teams had played to a 4-4 tie in the top of the fifth. The game will not be made up, with Notre Dame traveling to St. John’s on Easter Sunday before being scheduled to play a doubleheader vs. the Red Storm on Monday.

Notre Dame (13-11, 1-3 Big East) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of the opening seven-inning game before riding Schmalz and a steady defensive effort to its first conference win of the season. UConn (11-7, 2-2) managed just four hits and three hits against the veteran Schmalz and failed to scored after putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first.

Schmalz turned in the 13th complete game of his career of his career while moving into third place on the Notre Dame career games started list with 45. He recorded seven strikeouts while serving up 10 groundouts en route to the 24th win of his career, just one shy of moving into a share of fifth on the Irish career charts.

The rained out game negated some noteworthy stats for the Irish. Sophomore designated hitter Jeff Wagner (Louisville, Ky.) hit what would have been his fourth home run of the season and third in the past three days – a memorable shot to the opposite field – while Amrhein had singled in the third prior to Wagner’s home run, a hit which would have extended Amrhein’s hitting streak to 20 games had the game not been cancelled.

Sophomore left-hander Josh Santos (2-1) suffered the loss, being forced from the game in the fifth inning after giving up consecutive doubles to Amrhein and Wagner. Santos allowed all seven runs (five earned) on six hits and a walk, while recording two strikeouts.

Senior right fielder Pat O’Keefe (Grand Ledge, Mich.) reached base to open the first game, after catcher’s interference was called on UConn junior Jason Grabowski. Groundouts from seniors Randall Brooks and Amrhein moved O’Keefe to third base before three-straight, two-out hits pushed the Irish to a 4-0 lead. Wagner then plated O’Keefe with a double to center before coming around to score on a single to left by freshman second baseman Brant Ust (Seattle, Wash.) capped the rally with a home run over the left-field fence. The switch-hitting Freene had been just 2-for-9 hitting from the right side this season before blasting his second home run of the year.

The Huskies cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the first. Senior Matt Zawalich got things going with a one-out solo home run over the left-field fence before junior Billy Rich singled to center and Grabowski drew his 24th walk of the season. Schmalz then struck out freshman Richard Belmonte but sophomore Willy Mercado brought home Rich with a two-out double to left field.

The Irish stretched to a 5-2 lead in the third, scoring an unearned run after center fielder Randall Brooks (Hazelcrest, Ill.) reached to lead off the inning on an error by first baseman Belmonte. A groundout by Amrhein moved Brooks to second and, after Wagner walked, Ust hit into a fielder’s choice that brought Brooks home.

Notre Dame struck for two more runs in the fifth. Senior third baseman J.J. Brock (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led off with a single to left field and moved up on O’Keefe’s sacrifice bunt before Brooks sent a ground ball toward Belmonte. The Huskies were able to force out Brooks, who attempted a head-first slide, but UConn appeared to forget momentarily about Brock, who took an alert signal from third base coach Cory Mee and went home before Santos (who covered first on the groundout) could fire the ball to the plate.

The righthanded-hitting Amrhein then smacked a double down the right-field line – extending his hitting streak to 19 games – before Wafner went the other way with a double down the left-field line for a 7-2 Irish lead.

Notre Dame 7, UConn 2

Univ. of Notre Dame vs Univ. of Connecticut

• NCAA Box Score
• Game Play-by-Play

Box Score

LAST FOUR GAMES ONLY(March 25-29)Univ. of Notre Dame at Univ. of ConnecticutMar 29, 1997 at Christian FieldUniv. of Notre Dame 7 (13-11)                                       Univ. of Connecticut 2 (11-7)Name (Pos)                 AB  R  H  RBI  BB SO PO A               Pat O'Keefe rf............  2  1  0  0    0  0  0  0                Jason Edgar ss............  4  0  0  0    0  1  1  6Randall Brooks cf.........  4  1  0  1    0  0  3  0                Matt Zawalich cf..........  3  1  1  1    1  1  2  0Mike Amrhein c............  4  1  1  0    0  0  7  0              Billy Rich rf.............  3  1  1  0    0  0  2  0Jeff Wagner dh............  2  1  2  2    1  0  0  0                Jason Grabowski c.........  2  0  1  0    1  0  2  0Brant Ust 2b..............  3  1  1  2    0  0  0  1Richard Belmonte 1b.......  3  0  0  0    0  1  9  2Allen Greene lf...........  3  1  1  2    0  1  0  0                Willy Mercado lf..........  3  0  1  1    0  0  1  0Justin Scholl 1b..........  3  0  0  0    0  0 10  0                Clarke Caudill dh.........  2  0  0  0    0  2  0  0Jeff Felker 1b............  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  0                 Jason Irey ph.............  1  0  0  0    0  1  0  0Todd Frye ss..............  2  0  0  0    1  1  0  1                Brian Packin 3b...........  2  0  0  0    1  0  0  3J.J. Brock 3b.............  3  1  1  0    0  0  1  4                Alex Rodriguez 2b.........  1  0  0  0    0  0  3  1Darin Schmalz p...........  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  2                 Mark Monkiewicz ph........  1  0  0  0    0  1  0  0Josh Santos p.............  0  0  0  0    0  0  1  2Chet Kasper p.............  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  0Totals.................... 26  7  6  7    2  2 21  8Totals.................... 25  2  4  2    3  7 21 14Score by innings:                   R  H  E-------------------------------------------Univ. of Notre Dame   401 020 0  -  7  6  1Univ. of Connecticut  200 000 0  -  2  4  3-------------------------------------------E - Todd Frye(4), J. Grabowski(3), R. Belmonte(1), A. Rodriguez(5).DP - Huskies 1. LOB - Irish 2, Huskies 6.2B - Mike Amrhein(5), Jeff Wagner 2(13), W. Mercado(4).HR - Allen Greene(3), M. Zawalich(8).SB - Rand. Brooks(9). CS - Brant Ust.SH - Pat O'Keefe(2), A. Rodriguez(3).Univ. of Notre Dame    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  AB  BF               Univ. of Connecticut   IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  AB  BF----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Darin Schmalz.......  7.0   4   2   2   3   7  25  29               Josh Santos.........  4.2   6   7   5   1   2  19  22Chet Kasper.........  2.1   0   0   0   1   0   7   8Winner - D. Schmalz 3-2.  Loser - Josh Santos 2-1.  Save - None.CI - J. Grabowski.Umpires - Start: 11 AM   Time: 1:52   Attendance: 50

Play-by-play

LAST FOUR GAMES ONLY (March 25-29)Univ. of Notre Dame at Univ. of Connecticut  Mar 29, 1997 at Christian FieldScore by innings:                   R  H  E-------------------------------------------Univ. of Notre Dame   401 020 0  -  7  6  1Univ. of Connecticut  200 000 0  -  2  4  3-------------------------------------------

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 1
Pat O’Keefe reached on catcher’s interference. Rand. Brooks grounded out to ss; Pat O’Keefe advanced to second. Mike Amrhein grounded out to ss; Pat O’Keefe advanced to third. Jeff Wagner doubled to center field, RBI; Pat O’Keefe scored, unearned. Brant Ust singled to left field, RBI; Jeff Wagner scored. Allen Greene homered to left field, 2 RBI; Brant Ust scored. Just. Scholl grounded out to 3b. 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 1
Jason Edgar struck out. M. Zawalich homered to left field, RBI. Billy Rich singled to center field. J. Grabowski walked; Billy Rich advanced to second. R. Belmonte struck out. W. Mercado doubled down the lf line, RBI; J. Grabowski advanced to third; Billy Rich scored. Cl. Caudill struck out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 2
Todd Frye struck out. J.J. Brock flied out to cf. Pat O’Keefe lined out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 2
Brian Packin walked. A. Rodriguez grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; Brian Packin advanced to second. Jason Edgar grounded out to 3b. M. Zawalich walked. Billy Rich reached on a fielder’s choice; M. Zawalich advanced to second; Brian Packin out at third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 3
Rand. Brooks reached on an error by 1b. Rand. Brooks stole second. Mike Amrhein grounded out to ss; Rand. Brooks advanced to third. Jeff Wagner walked. Brant Ust reached on a fielder’s choice, RBI; Jeff Wagner out at second ss to 2b; Rand. Brooks scored, unearned. Brant Ust out at second p to 1b to ss, caught stealing. 1 run, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 3
J. Grabowski singled to pitcher. R. Belmonte grounded out to ss; J. Grabowski advanced to second. W. Mercado grounded out to 3b. Cl. Caudill struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Pa

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 4
Allen Greene struck out looking. Just. Scholl flied out to lf. Todd Frye grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 4
Brian Packin grounded out to 3b. A. Rodriguez grounded out to 2b. Jason Edgar grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 5
J.J. Brock singled to left field. Pat O’Keefe grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; J.J. Brock advanced to second. Rand. Brooks out at first 1b to p, RBI; J.J. Brock scored. Mike Amrhein doubled down the rf line. Jeff Wagner doubled down the lf line, RBI; Mike Amrhein scored. Chet Kasper to p for Josh Santos. Brant Ust flied out to rf. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 5
M. Zawalich struck out. Billy Rich fouled out to 1b. J. Grabowski grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 6
Allen Greene reached on an error by 2b. Just. Scholl grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Allen Greene out on the play. Todd Frye walked. J.J. Brock reached on a fielder’s choice; Todd Frye out at second 2b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 6
R. Belmonte grounded out to 1b unassisted. W. Mercado flied out to cf. Jason Irey pinch hit for Cl. Caudill. Jason Irey struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 7
Pat O’Keefe grounded out to ss. Rand. Brooks flied out to cf. Mike Amrhein grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Connecticut inning 7
Jeff Felker to 1b for Just. Scholl. Brian Packin reached on an error by ss. Monkiewicz pinch hit for A. Rodriguez. Monkiewicz struck out. Jason Edgar flied out to cf. M. Zawalich flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.