Notre Dame Slips Past Huskies 4-3

Notre Dame vs Connecticut (May 04, 2008)

STORRS, Conn. (May 4, 2008) — The University of Connecticut baseball team fell to Notre Dame 4-3 in BIG EAST Conference action on Sunday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field in the Huskies' last home game of the season.

With the loss, UConn falls to 23-27 overall this season and 8-16 in the BIG EAST while the Irish improve to 32-13-1 overall and 15-6 in conference play.

The first inning troubled the Huskies' defense as starting pitcher Mike Hashem (North Andover, Mass.) walked the first two batters of the game. After a lead-off walk, Brett Lilley advanced to third on a failed pick-off attempt and a throwing error by Hashem. A.J. Pollock hit a deep fly ball to right field in the next at-bat which was caught by Gordon Stevens (Vista, Calif.), who threw a line drive to Brad Olt (Branford, Conn.) at home to get Lilley out at the plate. After Brad Olt took a hard hit at the plate for the second out of the inning, Lilley was ejected from the game on the play. Hashem was able to strike out Ross Brezovsky to end the inning with no runs in for the Irish, despite three walks.

Hashem gave up a lead-off walk in the second inning then gave up another after the Huskies recorded their first out of the inning on a fly out to centerfield. Mick Doyle loaded the bases for the Irish with a single through the left side of the field. Greg Sherry, who came into the game for Lilley in the first, followed with a single to centerfield to score the Irish's first run of the game. David Mills was able to put Notre Dame up 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to centerfield before the Huskies' got the last out of the inning.

UConn freshman Mike Olt (Branford, Conn.) led off the bottom of the second with a double down the left field line before advancing to third on a groundout by Peter Fatse (Hampden, Mass.). With two-outs, Brad Olt doubled into the right center gap to score his younger brother from third base to put the Huskies on the board.

Dennis Accomando (Monroe, Conn.) came into the game for the Huskies in the top of the third as he replaced Hashem on the mound. Hashem left the game after two innings as he gave up five walks and two hits, while striking out one batter.

The Huskies tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Stevens singled through the left side of the field to score Fatse from second on a close play at the plate. Fatse was able to get into scoring position for the Huskies on a walk by Notre Dame's Eric Maust then a stolen base.

The Irish took a 3-2 lead as Jeremy Barnes hit his third homerun of the series over the left field wall off a two-out pitch by Accomando. In the seventh, Notre Dame threatened the Huskies as the Irish put runners on the corners with one out. Junior David Erickson (Stratford, Conn.) came onto the mound for the Huskies with one out in the seventh as he took over for Accomando. Accomando finished the afternoon with 4.1 innings thrown while allowing five hits and two runs. Erickson was able to get Pollock to ground out to UConn short stop Mike Olt but the Irish's Doyle was able to cross the plate and put the Notre Dame ball club up 4-2.

The Huskies could not put together a rally in the eighth or ninth innings and Notre Dame earned its second win of the weekend to take the series.

Hashem took the loss, dropping to 2-3 on the year. Maust earned the win for the Irish as he went 8.2 innings thrown while he allowed eight hits and two runs scored. He also struck out four in the nine innings. David Mills took the mound for his 10th appearance on the season as he gave up a single to left by Elliot Glynn (Los Alamitos, Calif.) as Brantley scored to make the score 4-3.

Kyle Weiland came into the game for Notre Dame with runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Weiland faced senior Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa) and was able to get Mahoney to fly out to shallow left field to end the game.

Mike Olt and Stevens both recorded two hits in today's contest as Olt added one run scored and two doubles.

The Huskies will have a week off due to final exams at the University of Connecticut and will return to action on Monday, May 12. UConn will take on Quinnipiac University at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. at 3:00 p.m.

-UCONN-