March 24, 2005
Box Score
NOTRE DAME, IN - Notre Dame's Tom Thornton came one out shy of pitching a shutout in the 6-2 opener while Georgetown's Ryan Craft hit the decisive home run in the 12th inning of the 9-8 nightcap, as the Irish and Hoyas split a BIG EAST doubleheader to open each team's conference season Thursday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
Georgetown (13-9) - which scored six of its 11 runs in the doubleheader via the long ball - saw its 24-game losing streak vs. Notre Dame come to end.
Nearly half of Notre Dame's baserunners in the doubleheader came via walks (10) and hit batters (5) but the Irish batted just .274 in the two games - while Georgetown hit .321 in the doubleheader.
Joe Graziano (2-for-3, R) and Parker Brooks (2-for-4, 2 RBI, R) accounted for five of GU's six hits in the opener while Cooper (2-for-2, 2 RBI, BB, SB) was Notre Dame's only multi-hit player.
Senior righthander Eddie Pena (1-2) suffered the game-one loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and two walks in 6.0 innings, with three strikeouts, three wild pitches, two hits batters and eight groundouts in his 105-pitch outing.
Junior centerfielder Alex Nettey opened ND's offensive day by sending an 0-2 pitch through the left side before moving up on a wild pitch and Lilley's sac. bunt. Junior first baseman Matt Edwards then sent a 2-2 pitch through the left side before ultimately scoring on a pair of wild pitches for the early 2-0 lead.
Several of Notre Dame's key hits in game-one game on two-strike counts, including three hits in the three-run bottom of the 3rd. Lilley sent a full-count pitch up the middle for a one-out single and Edwards was hit by Pena's next pitch before sophomore catcher Sean Gaston plated Lilley on a 1-2 single through the left side. The runners moved up on a stolen base/passed ball play and Cooper then plated two runs by going the other way for a single through the right side (on a 2-2 pitch) for a 5-0 lead.
The Irish added an insurance run in the 5th, after a leadoff walk by Edwards, Cooper's single to left-center (0-2 count) and a run-scoring groundout off the bat of Mike Dury.
Senior catcher Andrew Cleary (4-for-6, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB) and junior centerfielder Timmy Jones (3-for-7, R) paced the GU lineup in the second game.
Both teams put five leadoff batters on base in the nightcap but the Hoyas owned the key situational hitting edges in batting with runners in scoring position (.357/5-for-14, to ND's .227/5-for-22) and in 2-out batting (.450/9-for-20, to ND's .267/4-for-15). Georgetown collected four 2-out RBI while the hosts failed to collect a 2-out RBI, with the Irish also hitting 0-for-4 with the bases loaded.
Senior righthander Tom Braun (1-0) turned in a clutch outing to get the game-two win, limiting the Irish to one hit and four walks in the final 4.1 innings (4 Ks, 66 pitches). Braun allowed just one leadoff batter while holding the Irish to 0-for-8 batting with runners on and 0-for-5 with 2 outs.
Notre Dame's junior closer Ryan Doherty (1-1) was extended to 4.0 innings and suffered the loss, ultimately allowing two hits, a walk and two hit batters while striking out three. Doherty did not allow a leadoff baserunner but GU hit 3-for-6 versus him with two outs.
Sophomore righthander Jeff Manship continued to be eased back into action, opening the game with two shutout innings (2 H, 2 BB, K).
The Irish plated a pair of 1st-inning runs in the nightcap as well, off of Lilley. Edwards then launched a 2-0 pitch over the leftfield fence for his team-leading sixth home run of the season and 26th of his career.
The Hoyas surged ahead in the 3rd with a pair of tough infield plays preceding Cleary's third home run of the season, on a full-count shot over the leftfield fence.
Langford hit a leadoff double in the 4th and Lopez followed with an run-scoring double to left-center before Nettey pulled a 1-0 pitch down the leftfield line, pushing the Irish back to a 5-3 lead. The hosts added a run in the 5th, after Langford's first-pitch single up the middle and Lopez's one-out double to the right-center gap.
Notre Dame's middle-inning bullpen struggles continued moments later, as the Hoyas used six hits, an error and two Irish miscues in the field to plate five runs for the 8-6 lead. Jim Supple capped the go-ahead inning with a two-out, two-run single into shallow left field.
Cooper walked on a full count to start the bottom of the 8th and Rizzo single up the middle (taking second on the throw) before Dury sent a sacrifice fly to center field. Langford then brought home the tying run on a rightside groundball that was bobbled to leave the go-ahead run on base. Gaston followed with a well-placed bunt single but Langford was thrown out rounding second base - with Lopez's third double moments later being wasted when Braun entered the game and induced a flyout from Nettey.
The Irish loaded the bases in the ninth but Braun rolled up a groundball that forced out Lilley at home and then served up a flyout to force extra innings.
Notre Dame chances continued in the 10th - when Lopez was left stranded at second base - and in the 11th, with Cooper had a one-out walk and stolen base only to see the chance end on a foulout and groundout.
Craft stroked the decisive home run with two outs in the 12th, sending a 1-1 pitch to right-center for an opposite-field shot and his fourth home run of the season.
The Hoyas will next travel to West Virginia on Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m. for the start of a double header.
