April 15, 1997
Irish Win Another Close One, 6-4 at Purdue
Greene's Pinch-Hit Double Highlights Big Day for Bottom of Irish Batting Order
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior lefthander Wally Widelski worked
into and out of trouble over seven innings while sophomore Allen Greene
came off the bench to deliver a game-winning double in the top of the
eighth as Notre Dame won for the 15th time in its last 17 games, 6-4, in
non-conference baseball action Tuesday at Lambert Field.
Notre Dame (24-13) jumped ahead with four runs in the second before Purdue
(14-20) tied the game with an unearned run in the third and three runs in
the sixth (one of which was unearned).
Widelski (1-0) scattered six hits and four walks over seven innings,
while allowing four runs (two earned) and striking out three Purdue
batters. Senior Mike Balicki picked up his first save of the season, after
setting down the side in the eighth and ninth (with two K's).
Senior righthander Jeremy Buck took the loss, after surrendering a one-out
single to senior DH Mike Amrhein and a walk to sophomore catcher Jeff
Wagner in the eighth.
Notre Dame's usually potent #2 through #4 hitters (senior centerfielder
Randall Brooks, Amrhein and Wagner) combined to go just 2-for-12 vs. the Boi
lermakers while the #6-#9 spots produced five of the team's six RBI.
Sophomore shortstop Paul Turco--who opened the season as the Irish starter
befor enduring an early slump--returned to his starting position for just
the second time in 17 games, after junior Todd Frye was hit in the mouth on
a bad-hop ball during pregame infield practice (the injury required
stitches at a nearby hospital, with Frye's status to be updated on
Wednesday). Turco responded to his opportunity in the #8 spot, going
1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and run scored.
Greene, Notre Dame's usual leftfielder, did not start Tuesday's game after
going 0-for-10 earlier in the week in the Rutgers series. But the
switch-hitter came through in the eighth, stepping in at the plate for
starting leftfielder Dan Leatherman (a lefthanded hitter) after the hosts
had replaced Buck with junior lefthander Brian Joros. With Amrhein on
second base and Wagner on first, Greene liftted the first pitch he saw from
Joros down the rightfield line, plating Amrhein on a two-out,
opposite-field double.
The Irish added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, after a leadoff
single by senior third baseman J.J. Brock, a sacrifice bunt by senior
rightfielder Pat O'Keefe and a run-scoring, line-drive double down the
rightfield line by Brooks.(to virtually the same spot Greene placed his
clutch hit an inning earlier). Brooks followed moments later with a diving
catch on a leadoff flyout by Mike Rothstein, with Brooks running forward
and diving to his right as the ball tailed away in the crosswind.
Notre Dame struck for four runs in the second, with freshman second
baseman Brant Ust igniting five straight Irish hits on a one-out single
through the left side. Leatherman (batting in the #6 spot) kept things
going with a single to center and freshman first baseman Jeff Felker
stroked an RBI single into right-center before Turco pulled a single down
the leftfield line for a 2-0 lead. Brock then capped the flurry with a
two-run double into the leftfield corner.
Purdue scored an unearned run in the third, after Widelski threw the ball
away trying to start a 1-6-3 double play. The Boilers then pushed across
three runs in the sixth. Bill Bennett drew a leadoff walk and Anthony
Greico singled to left field before a sacrifice bunt by Rod Metzler and
another walk, by Robb Ramacher, loaded the bases with one out. Widelski
came through with his breaking ball, striking out Rothstein, but Ryan Cole
then drilled a shot into right field, with O'Keefe's bobble allowing
Ramacher to score the unearned, game-tying run all the way from first.
Wagner went 0-for-3 with a walk, ending his hitting streak at 15 games,
while Amrhein saw his season batting average drop to .444 after a 1-for-5
day (Amrhein now has hits in 34 of 37 games this season). Ust's 2-for-4 day
pushed his season batting average to .386.
Univ. of Notre Dame 6 (24-13) Purdue University 4 (14-20)
Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
---------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
Pat O'Keefe rf............ 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 Mark Tomsyck cf........... 4 0 1 0 0 1 4 0
Randall Brooks cf......... 4 0 1 1 1 0 4 0 Chris Walker rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Mike Amrhein dh........... 5 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Bill Bennett dh........... 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0
Jeff Wagner c............. 3 0 0 0 1 0 5 1 Anthony Grieco c.......... 4 1 1 0 0 1 5 1
Brant Ust 2b.............. 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 4 Rod Metzler 2b............ 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 6
Dan Leatherman lf......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Robb Ramacher lf.......... 2 1 0 0 2 0 3 0
Allen Greene ph/lf........ 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 Mike Rothstein 1b......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 7 1
Jeff Felker 1b............ 3 1 1 1 0 0 12 1 Ryan Cole 3b.............. 4 0 1 2 0 2 1 2
Paul Turco ss............. 2 1 1 1 2 0 1 5 Daryl Hallada ss.......... 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 2
J.J. Brock 3b............. 4 1 3 2 0 0 1 2 Andy Helmer p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Wally Widelski p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Jeremy Buck p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mike Balicki p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brian Joros p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jason Howard p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals.................... 33 6 11 6 4 5 27 16 Totals.................... 30 4 6 2 4 5 27 14
Score by innings: R H E
----------------------------------------------
Univ. of Notre Dame 040 000 011 - 6 11 3
Purdue University 001 003 000 - 4 6 0
----------------------------------------------
E - Pat O'Keefe(2), J.J. Brock(16), W. Widelski(1).
DP - Irish 1, Boilermakers 2. LOB - Irish 6, Boilermakers 5.
2B - Rand. Brooks(9), Brant Ust(7), Allen Greene(11), J.J. Brock(10), Rod
Metzler(10).
SB - J.J. Brock(3). CS - Paul Turco(2), Mark Tomsyck(5), Rod Metzler(1).
SH - Pat O'Keefe(4), Chris Walker(2), Rod Metzler(2).
Univ. of Notre Dame IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Purdue University IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
----------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------
Wally Widelski...... 7.0 6 4 2 4 3 24 30 Andy Helmer......... 6.1 7 4 4 3 4 24 27
Mike Balicki........ 2.0 0 0 0 0 2 6 6 Jeremy Buck......... 1.1 1 1 1 1 1 4 5
Brian Joros......... 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2
Jason Howard........ 1.1 2 1 1 0 0 4 5
Winner - W. Widelski 2-0. Loser - Jeremy Buck 0-1. Save - M. Balicki (1).
WP - Andy Helmer(3).
HBP - by Brian Joros (Jeff Felker).
Start: 4 PM Time: 2:33 Attendance: 133
Game Notes:
Notre Dame has won 15 of its last 17 games.
Wagner's hitting streak ends at 15 games.
Amrhein has hits in 34 of 37 games this season (.444 overall).
Brian Joros faced 2 batters in the 8th.
Play-by-play
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 1
Pat O'Keefe flied out to lf. Rand. Brooks grounded out to 2b. Mike Amrhein
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Purdue University inning 1
Mark Tomsyck grounded out to ss. Chris Walker flied out to cf. Bill
Bennett walked. A. Grieco flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 2
Jeff Wagner flied out to rf. Brant Ust singled to left field. Leatherman
singled to center field; Brant Ust advanced to second. Jeff Felker singled
to left center, RBI; Leatherman advanced to third; Brant Ust scored. Paul
Turco singled down the rf line, RBI; Jeff Felker advanced to third;
Leatherman scored. J.J. Brock doubled down the lf line, 2 RBI; Paul Turco
scored; Jeff Felker scored. Pat O'Keefe struck out. Rand. Brooks walked.
Mike Amrhein flied out to rf. 4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Purdue University inning 2
Rod Metzler grounded out to p. R. Ramacher walked. M. Rothstein flied out
to cf. Ryan Cole flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 3
Jeff Wagner flied out to lf. Brant Ust grounded out to 3b. Leatherman
flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Purdue University inning 3
D. Hallada singled to right field. Mark Tomsyck reached on a fielder's
choice; D. Hallada advanced to second on an error by p. Chris Walker
reached on an error by 3b, SAC, bunt; Mark Tomsyck advanced to second; D.
Hallada advanced to third. Bill Bennett grounded into double play ss to 2b
to 1b; Chris Walker out on the play; Mark Tomsyck advanced to third; D.
Hallada scored, unearned. A. Grieco grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 2
errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 4
Jeff Felker grounded out to 3b. Paul Turco walked. J.J. Brock grounded
into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Paul Turco out on the play. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Purdue University inning 4
Rod Metzler doubled to right center. R. Ramacher grounded out to 3b. Rod
Metzler out at third p to 3b, caught stealing. M. Rothstein singled to
right field. Ryan Cole struck out looking. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 5
Pat O'Keefe struck out looking. Rand. Brooks grounded out to p. Mike
Amrhein struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Purdue University inning 5
D. Hallada grounded out to ss. Mark Tomsyck struck out. Chris Walker
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 6
Jeff Wagner flied out to cf. Brant Ust doubled to right field. Leatherman
struck out. Brant Ust advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jeff Felker flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Purdue University inning 6
Bill Bennett walked. A. Grieco singled to left field; Bill Bennett advanced
to second. Rod Metzler grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; A. Grieco advanced to
second; Bill Bennett advanced to third. R. Ramacher walked. M. Rothstein
struck out. Ryan Cole singled to right field, 2 RBI; R. Ramacher advanced
to third, scored on an error by rf, unearned; A. Grieco scored; Bill Bennett
scored. D. Hallada grounded out to p. 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 7
Paul Turco walked. Paul Turco out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. J.J.
Brock singled to left center. Jeremy Buck to p for Andy Helmer. J.J. Brock
stole second. Pat O'Keefe struck out. Rand. Brooks flied out to cf. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Purdue University inning 7
Mark Tomsyck singled to right center. Mark Tomsyck out at second c to ss,
caught stealing. Chris Walker grounded out to ss. Bill Bennett lined out
to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 8
Mike Amrhein singled to left field. Jeff Wagner walked; Mike Amrhein
advanced to second. Brant Ust grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b;
Jeff Wagner out on the play; Mike Amrhein advanced to third. Brian Joros to
p for Jeremy Buck. Allen Greene pinch hit for Leatherman. Allen Greene
doubled down the rf line, RBI; Mike Amrhein scored. Jeff Felker hit by
pitch. Jason Howard to p for Brian Joros. Paul Turco reached on a
fielder's choice; Jeff Felker out at second 2b to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Purdue University inning 8
Allen Greene to lf. M. Balicki to p for W. Widelski. A. Grieco struck out.
Rod Metzler grounded out to 2b. R. Ramacher grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 9
J.J. Brock singled to right field. Pat O'Keefe out at first 1b to p, SAC,
bunt; J.J. Brock advanced to second. Rand. Brooks doubled to right field,
out at third rf to 2b to 3b, RBI; J.J. Brock scored. Mike Amrhein flied out
to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Purdue University inning 9
M. Rothstein flied out to cf. Ryan Cole struck out. D. Hallada out at
first 1b to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
