May 15, 1997
Notre Dame Advances in BIG EAST Championship, Eliminates West Virginia
NORWICH, Conn. - Sophomore left-hander Chris McKeown pitched a four-hitter, registering his first complete game of the year as Notre Dame beat West Virginia 8-1 in game eight of the BIG EAST Championship at Thomas J. Dodd Stadium. The Fighting Irish advance to face Villanova in an elimination game for the right to play St. John's in the championship on Friday.
McKeown game up one run in the game on an RBI single by WVU shortstop Matt Rubino in the third inning. He notched six strikeouts against the Mountaineers, facing just seven batters over the minimum. The Irish broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring five runs on three hits and two errors. Third baseman J.J. Brock led Notre Dame at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Notre Dame improved to 41-18 with the win, while West Virginia falls to 36-19. St. John's will await the winner of the game between the Irish and Wildcats in the championship round. The title game of the BIG EAST Championship is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EDT Friday. If necessary, a second game will be played at 7 p.m.
Box Score
Univ. of Notre Dame vs West Virginia Univ. May 15, 1997 at Dodd Stadium
Univ. of Notre Dame 8 (41-18) West Virginia Univ. 1 (36-18)
Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
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Randall Brooks cf......... 4 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 Josh Williamson lf........ 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jeff Perconte rf.......... 4 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 Matt Rubino ss............ 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 4
Mike Amrhein c............ 4 2 1 0 1 0 6 1 Kirk Taylor cf............ 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 0
Jeff Wagner dh............ 4 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Jason Frushour c.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 10 1
Brant Ust ss.............. 4 0 1 2 1 0 2 3 Joe McNamee 1b............ 4 0 0 0 0 1 8 1
Allen Greene lf........... 5 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 Troy Englehart dh......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Jeff Felker 1b............ 3 0 0 0 2 2 11 0 Abe Barker rf............. 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 0
Todd Frye 2b.............. 5 0 1 1 0 3 0 3 Brad Elwood ph............ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
J.J. Brock 3b............. 5 2 3 0 0 0 0 2 Jack Smarslak 3b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Chris McKeown p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Jamie Hammond 2b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 2
Steve Beller p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chad Spencer p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Frank Cafaro p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Totals.................... 38 8 9 5 6 10 27 13 Totals.................... 33 1 4 1 1 6 27 10
Score by innings: R H E
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Univ. of Notre Dame 210 500 000 - 8 9 2
West Virginia Univ. 001 000 000 - 1 4 3
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E - Brant Ust (18), Todd Frye (22), Joe McNamee (9), J. Smarslak (19), J. Hammond 9).
LOB - Irish 10, Mountaineers 6.
2B - Rand. Brooks (13), Williamson (20).
SB - Jeff Felker (8), Williamson (12).
SH - Rand. Brooks (5).
Univ. of Notre Dame IP H R ER BB SO AB BF West Virginia Univ. IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
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Chris McKeown....... 9.0 4 1 1 1 6 33 34 Steve Beller........ 3.2 6 7 4 5 5 17 23
Chad Spencer........ 4.1 3 1 0 1 3 18 19
Frank Cafaro........ 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 3 3
Winner - C. McKeown 4-3.
Loser - Steve Beller 5-6.
Start: 3:30 PM Time: 2:32 Attendance: 200
Play-by-play
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 1
Rand. Brooks struck out. J. Perconte walked. Mike Amrhein singled to left
center; J. Perconte advanced to third. Jeff Wagner struck out. Brant Ust
singled to left field, RBI; Mike Amrhein advanced to second; J. Perconte
scored. Allen Greene singled to center field, RBI; Brant Ust advanced to
third; Mike Amrhein scored. Jeff Felker walked; Allen Greene advanced to
second. Todd Frye struck out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 1
Williamson grounded out to p. Matt Rubino grounded out to 2b. Kirk Taylor
singled to pitcher, bunt. J. Frushour reached on a fielder's choice; Kirk
Taylor out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 2
J.J. Brock singled to right field. Rand. Brooks grounded out to 3b, SAC,
bunt; J.J. Brock advanced to second. J. Perconte flied out to lf. Mike
Amrhein reached on an error by 1b, assist by c; J.J. Brock advanced to
third, scored on an error by 1b, unearned. Jeff Wagner struck out. 1 run,
1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 2
Joe McNamee grounded out to ss. T. Englehart struck out looking. Abe
Barker grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 3
Brant Ust grounded out to ss. Allen Greene lined out to 2b. Jeff Felker
walked. Jeff Felker stole second. Todd Frye struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 3
J. Smarslak grounded out to ss. J. Hammond singled to right field.
Williamson reached on a fielder's choice; J. Hammond out at second p to ss.
Williamson stole second. Matt Rubino singled to center field, RBI;
Williamson scored. Kirk Taylor struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 4
J.J. Brock singled to center field. Rand. Brooks doubled down the lf line,
RBI; J.J. Brock scored. J. Perconte popped up to 2b. Mike Amrhein
intentionally walked. Jeff Wagner walked; Mike Amrhein advanced to second;
Rand. Brooks advanced to third. Brant Ust flied out to rf, RBI; Jeff Wagner
advanced to second on the throw; Mike Amrhein advanced to third; Rand.
Brooks scored. Chad Spencer to p for Steve Beller. Allen Greene reached on
an error by 3b; Jeff Wagner advanced to third; Mike Amrhein scored,
unearned. Jeff Felker reached on an error by 2b; Allen Greene advanced to
second; Jeff Wagner scored, unearned. Todd Frye singled to left field, RBI;
Jeff Felker advanced to second; Allen Greene scored, unearned. J.J. Brock
out at first 1b to p. 5 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 2 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 4
J. Frushour flied out to rf. Joe McNamee reached on an error by 2b. T.
Englehart flied out to rf. Abe Barker struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits,
1 error, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 5
Rand. Brooks grounded out to p. J. Perconte struck out. Mike Amrhein
grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 5
J. Smarslak grounded out to 3b. J. Hammond grounded out to ss. Williamson
doubled down the rf line. Matt Rubino flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 6
Jeff Wagner grounded out to ss. Brant Ust flied out to rf. Allen Greene
singled to right field. Jeff Felker struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 6
Kirk Taylor struck out. J. Frushour grounded out to p. Joe McNamee flied
out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 7
Todd Frye grounded out to 2b. J.J. Brock singled to center field. Rand.
Brooks flied out to rf. J. Perconte reached on a fielder's choice; J.J.
Brock out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 7
T. Englehart struck out. Abe Barker flied out to lf. J. Smarslak walked.
J. Hammond grounded out to c. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 8
Mike Amrhein grounded out to ss. Jeff Wagner lined out to 1b. Brant Ust
walked. Allen Greene struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 8
Williamson grounded out to 2b. Matt Rubino reached on an error by ss. Kirk
Taylor flied out to rf. J. Frushour flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
Univ. of Notre Dame inning 9
Frank Cafaro to p for Chad Spencer. Jeff Felker struck out. Todd Frye
struck out. J.J. Brock flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
West Virginia Univ. inning 9
Joe McNamee struck out. T. Englehart grounded out to 3b. Brad Elwood pinch
hit for Abe Barker. Brad Elwood flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
