Sluggers record best season in recent years
By NOAH AMSTADTER
Sports Writer
The Notre Dame baseball team finished off one of its strongest regular seasons in recent memory Sunday afternoon, defeating Big East Conference champion Rutgers 10-6 at Frank Eck Stadium.
The Irish finished the season 42-14, only the second time ever that the Irish have posted 42 or more regular season wins. Their 18-7 mark in the Big East left the Irish one win over Rutgers away from the Big East regular season championship. Coming into the season, the Irish returned many starters, but also had many questions.
After losing leading hitters Brant Ust and Jeff Wagner, the returning Big East champions faced a lack of power in the lineup.Those concerns were answered with the emergence of freshman right fielder Brian Stavisky. Stavisky, led the Irish with 14 home runs and 126 total bases while batting anywhere from second to sixth in the lineup.
Also posing a concern for head coach Paul Mainieri was the state of the team's starting pitching. All-American junior Aaron Heilman and veteran starter Scott Cavey were proven commodities, but the remainder of the staff was untested. Freshman J.P Gagne posted a 7-1 mark as the third starter, while classmate Matt Laird went 5-2.
In the season's final game, junior Danny Tamayo, who had not pitched in two years following surgery, picked up a win over Rutgers.
Heilman, one of the two highest-ranked college pitchers in the country, and Cavey provided the dominance that was to be expected on the mound.
After struggling in his first start, Heilman returned to post a 10-game winning streak, including a 18-strikeout game over Connecticut. Cavey posted a 5-2 record while pitching exclusively in tournaments and the competitive weekend games against Big East opponents.
Three veterans led the Irish offense. Junior shortstop Alec Porzel finished third in the Big East in hits with 73, while his 50 RBI led the Irish. Senior Matt Nussbaum, a former walk-on, drove in 34 runs while splitting time between left field and catcher.
Senior Jeff Felker, voted the best defensive first baseman in the Big East, batted .303 and added six home runs, including a thrilling game-winner over St. John's on April 30.
The Irish take on the Boston College Eagles today in the first round of Big East Tournament play. The game is at 4:30 and will be broadcast on the Internet at www.und.com.
All Sports Stories for Friday, May 19, 2000
