Irish get ready to face Michigan on the road
By JOE HETTLER
Sports Editor
Fresh off a critical three-game sweep of Big East rival Connecticut, Notre Dame travels to Comstock Park, Mich. to face the Wolverines at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
The Irish have won 25 of their last 28 and sit atop the Big East standings with a 13-2 mark. Meanwhile Michigan is 21-18 with an even 9-9 record in Big Ten play.
Notre Dame won 17 straight games before seeing that streak snapped at home against Eastern Michigan, 5-3, April 15. There have been numerous contributors to the team's success this season.
Notre Dame's lineup, led by first baseman Matt Edwards and second baseman Steve Sollmann have teed off of late. The Irish lineup scorched Indiana University-Purdue University for 20 hits Thursday, a day after banging out 13 hits against Cleveland State.
Sollmann leads the club with a .401 average and 29 RBIs. He missed two games last week with a slightly injured hand, but played in all three games against Connecticut. Edwards has had a breakout year after missing all but nine games during the 2002 Irish campaign. He enters tonight's game leading the Big East conference with 53 RBIs in only 42 games. Edwards also leads the Irish with seven home runs and is second behind Sollmann with a .370 average.
Notre Dame has played several freshmen throughout the season, and each has made big contributions. Craig Cooper, Brennan Grogan, Greg Lopez and Steve Andres have all seen significant playing time, while classmates Matt Bransfield and Alex Nettey have played in nearly 20 games each.
But the biggest difference for the Irish this season may be their solid pitching staff. Chris Neisel, John Axford and Ryan Kalita have all made big contributions as a starting rotation. With the addition of injured Pete Ogilvie into that staff, Notre Dame becomes even deeper. Ogilvie is set to start against the Wolverines tonight. He won his first decision of the year against Cleveland State, going 4 1/3 innings and striking out a career-high eight Viking batters.
The Irish have pitched exceptionally well as a group, despite the loss of ace Grant Johnson to shoulder surgery in December. The right-hander has missed the entire season.
Notre Dame's pitchers will need another solid outing tonight if they hope to down the Wolverines. Brock Loman leads the team with a .392 average. He's also drilled seven round trippers and knocked in 42 in 39 games. Teammate Jake Fox leads the club with 11 dingers and 46 RBIs. In all Michigan has six players batting above the .300 clip for the season.
Michigan's concern will likely be how their pitching staff fares against the Irish lineup. The Wolverines staff ERA hovers above 5.50 runs per game. The Irish staff has an ERA of only 3.34 for the season.
The Irish have a difficult stretch after the Michigan game. After playing Oakland Wednesday, Notre Dame has a crucial three-game series against West Virginia and Rutgers, two teams breathing down Notre Dame's neck in the Big East standings.
The first pitch for tonight's contest is set for 7:30 p.m.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, April 29, 2003
