April 15, 1997

Irish Win Another Close One, 6-4 at Purdue

Greene’s Pinch-Hit Double Highlights Big Day for Bottom of Irish Batting Order

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Senior lefthander Wally Widelski workedinto and out of trouble over seven innings while sophomore Allen Greenecame off the bench to deliver a game-winning double in the top of theeighth as Notre Dame won for the 15th time in its last 17 games, 6-4, innon-conference baseball action Tuesday at Lambert Field.

Notre Dame (24-13) jumped ahead with four runs in the second before Purdue(14-20) tied the game with an unearned run in the third and three runs inthe sixth (one of which was unearned).

Widelski (1-0) scattered six hits and four walks over seven innings,while allowing four runs (two earned) and striking out three Purduebatters. Senior Mike Balicki picked up his first save of the season, aftersetting down the side in the eighth and ninth (with two K’s).

Senior righthander Jeremy Buck took the loss, after surrendering a one-outsingle to senior DH Mike Amrhein and a walk to sophomore catcher JeffWagner in the eighth.

Notre Dame’s usually potent #2 through #4 hitters (senior centerfielderRandall Brooks, Amrhein and Wagner) combined to go just 2-for-12 vs. the Boilermakers while the #6-#9 spots produced five of the team’s six RBI.Sophomore shortstop Paul Turco–who opened the season as the Irish starterbefor enduring an early slump–returned to his starting position for justthe second time in 17 games, after junior Todd Frye was hit in the mouth ona bad-hop ball during pregame infield practice (the injury requiredstitches at a nearby hospital, with Frye’s status to be updated onWednesday). Turco responded to his opportunity in the #8 spot, going1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and run scored.

Greene, Notre Dame’s usual leftfielder, did not start Tuesday’s game aftergoing 0-for-10 earlier in the week in the Rutgers series. But theswitch-hitter came through in the eighth, stepping in at the plate forstarting leftfielder Dan Leatherman (a lefthanded hitter) after the hostshad replaced Buck with junior lefthander Brian Joros. With Amrhein onsecond base and Wagner on first, Greene liftted the first pitch he saw fromJoros down the rightfield line, plating Amrhein on a two-out,opposite-field double.

The Irish added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, after a leadoffsingle by senior third baseman J.J. Brock, a sacrifice bunt by seniorrightfielder Pat O’Keefe and a run-scoring, line-drive double down therightfield line by Brooks.(to virtually the same spot Greene placed hisclutch hit an inning earlier). Brooks followed moments later with a divingcatch on a leadoff flyout by Mike Rothstein, with Brooks running forwardand diving to his right as the ball tailed away in the crosswind.

Notre Dame struck for four runs in the second, with freshman secondbaseman Brant Ust igniting five straight Irish hits on a one-out singlethrough the left side. Leatherman (batting in the #6 spot) kept thingsgoing with a single to center and freshman first baseman Jeff Felkerstroked an RBI single into right-center before Turco pulled a single downthe leftfield line for a 2-0 lead. Brock then capped the flurry with atwo-run double into the leftfield corner.

Purdue scored an unearned run in the third, after Widelski threw the ballaway trying to start a 1-6-3 double play. The Boilers then pushed acrossthree runs in the sixth. Bill Bennett drew a leadoff walk and AnthonyGreico singled to left field before a sacrifice bunt by Rod Metzler andanother walk, by Robb Ramacher, loaded the bases with one out. Widelskicame through with his breaking ball, striking out Rothstein, but Ryan Colethen drilled a shot into right field, with O’Keefe’s bobble allowingRamacher to score the unearned, game-tying run all the way from first.

Wagner went 0-for-3 with a walk, ending his hitting streak at 15 games,while Amrhein saw his season batting average drop to .444 after a 1-for-5day (Amrhein now has hits in 34 of 37 games this season). Ust’s 2-for-4 daypushed his season batting average to .386.

Univ. of Notre Dame 6 (24-13)                              Purdue University 4 (14-20)Name (Pos)                 AB  R  H RBI  BB SO PO  A       Name (Pos)                 AB  R  H RBI  BB SO PO  A----------------------------------------------------       ----------------------------------------------------Pat O'Keefe rf............  4  0  0  0    0  3  1  0       Mark Tomsyck cf...........  4  0  1  0    0  1  4  0Randall Brooks cf.........  4  0  1  1    1  0  4  0       Chris Walker rf...........  3  0  0  0    0  0  2  1Mike Amrhein dh...........  5  1  1  0    0  1  0  0       Bill Bennett dh...........  2  1  0  0    2  0  0  0Jeff Wagner c.............  3  0  0  0    1  0  5  1       Anthony Grieco c..........  4  1  1  0    0  1  5  1Brant Ust 2b..............  4  1  2  0    0  0  2  4       Rod Metzler 2b............  3  0  1  0    0  0  3  6Dan Leatherman lf.........  3  1  1  0    0  1  0  0       Robb Ramacher lf..........  2  1  0  0    2  0  3  0Allen Greene ph/lf........  1  0  1  1    0  0  0  0       Mike Rothstein 1b.........  4  0  1  0    0  1  7  1Jeff Felker 1b............  3  1  1  1    0  0 12  1       Ryan Cole 3b..............  4  0  1  2    0  2  1  2Paul Turco ss.............  2  1  1  1    2  0  1  5       Daryl Hallada ss..........  4  1  1  0    0  0  1  2J.J. Brock 3b.............  4  1  3  2    0  0  1  2       Andy Helmer p.............  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  1Wally Widelski p..........  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  3       Jeremy Buck p.............  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  0Mike Balicki p............  0  0  0  0    0  0  1  0       Brian Joros p.............  0  0  0  0    0  0  0  0                                                           Jason Howard p............  0  0  0  0    0  0  1  0Totals.................... 33  6 11  6    4  5 27 16       Totals.................... 30  4  6  2    4  5 27 14Score by innings:                      R  H  E----------------------------------------------Univ. of Notre Dame   040 000 011   -  6 11  3Purdue University     001 003 000   -  4  6  0----------------------------------------------E - Pat O'Keefe(2), J.J. Brock(16), W. Widelski(1).DP - Irish 1, Boilermakers 2. LOB - Irish 6, Boilermakers 5.2B - Rand. Brooks(9), Brant Ust(7), Allen Greene(11), J.J. Brock(10), RodMetzler(10).SB - J.J. Brock(3). CS - Paul Turco(2), Mark Tomsyck(5), Rod Metzler(1).SH - Pat O'Keefe(4), Chris Walker(2), Rod Metzler(2).Univ. of Notre Dame    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  AB  BF      Purdue University      IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  AB  BF-----------------------------------------------------      -----------------------------------------------------Wally Widelski......  7.0   6   4   2   4   3  24  30      Andy Helmer.........  6.1   7   4   4   3   4  24  27Mike Balicki........  2.0   0   0   0   0   2   6   6      Jeremy Buck.........  1.1   1   1   1   1   1   4   5                                                           Brian Joros.........  0.0   1   0   0   0   0   1   2                                                           Jason Howard........  1.1   2   1   1   0   0   4   5Winner - W. Widelski 2-0.  Loser - Jeremy Buck 0-1.  Save - M. Balicki (1).WP - Andy Helmer(3).HBP - by Brian Joros (Jeff Felker).Start: 4 PM   Time: 2:33   Attendance: 133Game Notes:Notre Dame has won 15 of its last 17 games.Wagner's hitting streak ends at 15 games.Amrhein has hits in 34 of 37 games this season (.444 overall).Brian Joros faced 2 batters in the 8th.

Play-by-play

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 1
Pat O’Keefe flied out to lf. Rand. Brooks grounded out to 2b. Mike Amrhein grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Purdue University inning 1
Mark Tomsyck grounded out to ss. Chris Walker flied out to cf. Bill Bennett walked. A. Grieco flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 2
Jeff Wagner flied out to rf. Brant Ust singled to left field. Leatherman singled to center field; Brant Ust advanced to second. Jeff Felker singled to left center, RBI; Leatherman advanced to third; Brant Ust scored. Paul Turco singled down the rf line, RBI; Jeff Felker advanced to third; Leatherman scored. J.J. Brock doubled down the lf line, 2 RBI; Paul Turco scored; Jeff Felker scored. Pat O’Keefe struck out. Rand. Brooks walked. Mike Amrhein flied out to rf. 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Purdue University inning 2
Rod Metzler grounded out to p. R. Ramacher walked. M. Rothstein flied out to cf. Ryan Cole flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 3
Jeff Wagner flied out to lf. Brant Ust grounded out to 3b. Leatherman flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Purdue University inning 3
D. Hallada singled to right field. Mark Tomsyck reached on a fielder’s choice; D. Hallada advanced to second on an error by p. Chris Walker reached on an error by 3b, SAC, bunt; Mark Tomsyck advanced to second; D. Hallada advanced to third. Bill Bennett grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Chris Walker out on the play; Mark Tomsyck advanced to third; D. Hallada scored, unearned. A. Grieco grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 2 errors, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 4
Jeff Felker grounded out to 3b. Paul Turco walked. J.J. Brock grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Paul Turco out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Purdue University inning 4
Rod Metzler doubled to right center. R. Ramacher grounded out to 3b. Rod Metzler out at third p to 3b, caught stealing. M. Rothstein singled to right field. Ryan Cole struck out looking. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 5
Pat O’Keefe struck out looking. Rand. Brooks grounded out to p. Mike Amrhein struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Purdue University inning 5
D. Hallada grounded out to ss. Mark Tomsyck struck out. Chris Walker grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 6
Jeff Wagner flied out to cf. Brant Ust doubled to right field. Leatherman struck out. Brant Ust advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jeff Felker flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Purdue University inning 6
Bill Bennett walked. A. Grieco singled to left field; Bill Bennett advanced to second. Rod Metzler grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; A. Grieco advanced to second; Bill Bennett advanced to third. R. Ramacher walked. M. Rothstein struck out. Ryan Cole singled to right field, 2 RBI; R. Ramacher advanced to third, scored on an error by rf, unearned; A. Grieco scored; Bill Bennett scored. D. Hallada grounded out to p. 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 7
Paul Turco walked. Paul Turco out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. J.J. Brock singled to left center. Jeremy Buck to p for Andy Helmer. J.J. Brock stole second. Pat O’Keefe struck out. Rand. Brooks flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Purdue University inning 7
Mark Tomsyck singled to right center. Mark Tomsyck out at second c to ss, caught stealing. Chris Walker grounded out to ss. Bill Bennett lined out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 8
Mike Amrhein singled to left field. Jeff Wagner walked; Mike Amrhein advanced to second. Brant Ust grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Jeff Wagner out on the play; Mike Amrhein advanced to third. Brian Joros to p for Jeremy Buck. Allen Greene pinch hit for Leatherman. Allen Greene doubled down the rf line, RBI; Mike Amrhein scored. Jeff Felker hit by pitch. Jason Howard to p for Brian Joros. Paul Turco reached on a fielder’s choice; Jeff Felker out at second 2b to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Purdue University inning 8
Allen Greene to lf. M. Balicki to p for W. Widelski. A. Grieco struck out. Rod Metzler grounded out to 2b. R. Ramacher grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Univ. of Notre Dame inning 9
J.J. Brock singled to right field. Pat O’Keefe out at first 1b to p, SAC, bunt; J.J. Brock advanced to second. Rand. Brooks doubled to right field, out at third rf to 2b to 3b, RBI; J.J. Brock scored. Mike Amrhein flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Purdue University inning 9
M. Rothstein flied out to cf. Ryan Cole struck out. D. Hallada out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.