Irish dominate in doubleheader sweep of Chicago St.
BRIAN TRAVERS
Sports Writer
Irish pitchers got the job done once again, allowing only three runs as Notre Dame (28-9) took two games from Chicago State (14-15) Tuesday night at Eck stadium.
Four Irish pitchers combined to throw a one-hitter in game two as the Irish defeated Chicago State 4-1.
Sophomore Drew Duff started on the hill for the Irish and earned the win, striking out six and extending his record to 3-1. He allowed the Cougars their only run, on their one hit, a Nicholas Gaitano single in the first.
Matt Buchmeier and Mike Naumann both pitched scoreless, hitless innings before handing the ball over to closer John Corbin. Senior righthander Corbin struck out four batters over the last two innings for his ninth save of the year.
Matt Nussbaum provided most of the offense for the Irish, driving in two runs and scoring another. Paul O'Toole started the second inning with a walk before stealing second and third. Nussbaum then smacked a triple to left to score O'Toole. Nussbaum then scored on a Jeff Perconte sacrifice fly.
Nussbaum drove in O'Toole again in the fourth on a sacrifice fly. Jeff Felker scored the game's last run on a leadoff home run in the sixth inning. The home run was Felker's fourth of the year.
The Irish offense proved to be too much for Chicago State in game one, scoring 12 runs including a seven-run fifth inning to beat the Cougars 12-2.
Freshman Brian Stavisky started the fifth inning rally by smashing his eighth home run over the right field wall. After loading the bases by three walks from Chicago State starter Carl Taft, shortstop Alec Porzel lined a single up the middle to score two more.
The Cougars looked like they were going to get out of the jam, though, when first baseman Jeff Felker lifted a fly ball to left with two outs in the inning. But left fielder Antjuan Mitchell dropped the ball, allowing Porzel and pinch runner Ben Cooke to score. Stavisky then added his second RBI of the inning on a single to left before Matt Nussbaum flied out to end the inning.
Freshman Matt Laird (4-2) earned the win for Notre Dame, allowing just one run over four innings and striking out five. Carl Taft (1-1) took the loss, giving up six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Irish freshman Brandon Viloria allowed his first run of the season after relieving Laird in the fifth.
Alec Porzel continued hitting the ball well in game one, going 2-4 with two runs and two RBI's, and Jeff Felker also added two RBI's. Cougar third baseman Ryan Lardi, who came into the game hitting .436, snapped a 16-game hit streak, going 0-4.
The Irish hit the road again on Thursday for a doubleheader against Big East opponent Seton Hall, and will travel to Georgetown this weekend for a doubleheader Saturday.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, April 19, 2000
