May 16, 2006
The Notre Dame baseball team (38-13-1, 18-5-1 BIG EAST) next heads up to the Grand Rapids area for the annual “Baseball Bash” with Michigan, at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark … this marks the 11th time in the past 12 seasons that ND and UM have played in the home of the single-A West Michigan Whitecaps (formerly known as Old Kent Park) … the Irish will send sophomore LHP Wade Korpi to the mound while the rotation later in the week for the road series vs. Villanova is set to include (in order) Jef Samardzija, Jeff Manship and Tom Thornton … the game will be telecast live throughout Michigan by Comcast Local – also live in South Bend (on Comcast Cable channel 3) and live on Comcast affiliates in Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis and Muncie (Chicago Comcast Sprorts Net will air a delayed telecast of the game on May 18, time TBA) … the Irish are in the midst of playing in four cities over the span of just 11 days … ND already has clinched a BIG EAST Tournament spot and can claim the regular-season title with two wins over Villanova (or help from Rutgers in its series with UConn) … St. John’s (15-8) also maintains an outside shot at the title.