March 19, 2003

Sunday’s Notre Dame-Villanova baseball game – to be played at the new Villanova Ballpark – has been moved up to an 11:00 a.m. start, shifting from the customary noon start. Saturday’s doubleheader still will begin at noon.

Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth Community Center is located just off Germantown Pike, within Plymouth Township. Notre Dame previously had played road series versus Villanova at Richie Ashburn Park in downtown Philadelphia, during the 1999, 2000 and ’02 seasons (a 1996 ND-VU series scheduled for the former Villanova on-campus field was rained out while the teams played at ND’s Eck Stadium in 1997, ’98 and ’01).

Notre Dame’s planned pitching rotation for the Villanova series includes (in order) sophomore righthanders Chris Niesel and John Axford and senior righthander Ryan Kalita (his classmate Peter Ogilvie is sidelined with a sore shoulder). The Wildcats are expected to counter with senior righthander Tom Kandybowicz and sophomore righthander Nick Allen in the doubleheader, with senior righthander John Yeager the likely VU starter for Sunday.

Here are directions to the new Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth (per www.villanova.com):

* From the South: Take I-95 North to Exit 7 North/to Plymouth Meeting, this will put you on I-476/Blue Route. Follow I-476/Blue Route North to Exit 19 for Plymouth Meeting. The exit will take you around and to the right. When you get to the first stop light take a left on to Germantown Pike. Go 1.5 to 2 miles on Germantown Pike and then take a right on to Walton Road. Take your first quick left into the parking lot for the complex.

* From the West: Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike East to Exit 24/Valley Forge. Take I-76/Schuylkill Expressway to Exit 28-A which will put you on I-476/Blue Route. Take I-476/Blue Route North/to Plymouth Meeting. Follow I-476/Blue Route North to Exit 19 for Plymouth Meeting. The exit will take you around and to the right. When you get to the first stop light take a left on to Germantown Pike. Go 1.5 to 2 miles on Germantown Pike and then take a right on to Walton Road. Take your first quick left into the parking lot for the complex.

* From the North: Take the New Jersey Turnpike South to Exit 6, the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Northeast extension. Follow the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Exit 25-A (Mid-county interchange). Take the second exit ramp for I-476/Blue Route, South/to Chester. Follow I-476/Blue Route South to Exit 19 for Plymouth Meeting. When you get to the first stop light go north on to Germantown Pike. Go 1.5 to 2 miles on Germantown Pike and then take a right on to Walton Road. Take your first quick left into the parking lot for the complex.