The Irish take on Western Michigan on Wednesday afternoon.
AT NOTRE DAME: Two-year monogram winner that enters junior season with a 3.35 career ERA and 8-5 record with five saves, plus 82 strikeouts, 21 walks and 99 hits allowed (.252 opponent batting average) in 50 appearances (seven starts) and 104.2 innings (six hit batters, four wild pitches, seven home runs allowed) ... in BIG EAST games, owns a 2.65 career ERA and 4-1 record with five saves, plus 40 strikeouts, seven walks and 44 hits allowed (.221 opponent batting average) in 28 appearances (two starts) and 54.1 innings (three hit batters, one home run allowed) ... averaging 7.05 strikeouts and 1.81 walks per 9.0 innings pitched as well as a 3.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his career ... pitched exclusively out of the Irish bullpen as a freshman, but moved into a starting role for the first half of his sophomore campaign ... opens 2013 as a weekend starter... polished and owned a moxie on the mound that made him ready to pitch at the college level right away ... great movement on all of his pitches, especially his fastball, and throws a ton of strikes ... extremely athletic pitcher who can field his position ... carried a 3.066 cumulative GPA into the `13 spring semester.
HONORS & AWARDS: Rated as the No. 14 MLB prospect in the BIG EAST by Baseball America ... College Baseball 360 Primetime Performers (Mar. 13, 2012) ... BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Apr. 4, 2011) ... BIG EAST Academic All-Star (2011, 2012).
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2012): Made 27 appearances, including seven starts ... opened the year as a weekend starter (including the season opener vs. Illinois) ... returned to the bullpen in a setup role and excelled for the second straight season ... his 27 appearances were third most by any pitcher on the staff ... his 20 relief outings were fifth most on the squad ... went 7-3 with a 3.82 earned run average in 70.2 innings of work ... allowed 72 hits as his opponents batted .268 ... struck out 57 and walked 14 ... ranked second in the BIG EAST in fewest walks allowed, tied for fourth in fewest runs allowed, sixth in appearances, ninth in victories, tied for ninth in hits allowed and 12th in strikeouts looking ... in BIG EAST games only, ranked second in appearances (15), tied for second in fewest walks (five), third in fewest hits allowed (28), tied for third in relief outings (13), tied for fifth in fewest runs allowed (12), sixth in opposing batting average .233 and tied for seventh in fewest earned runs allowed (12) ... averaged 7.26 strikeouts and 1.78 walks per nine innings ... posted a 4.07 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... Notre Dame posted a 13-14 record when Fitzgerald pitched ... the Irish were 4-3 record when Fitzgerald started ... did not allow a run in 14 of 27 appearances, including each of his last eight outings and 11 of his last 12 appearances ... did not allow a run in 14 of his 20 relief appearances ... did not issue a walk in 14 of 27 appearances ... did not issue a walk in 12 of his 20 relief appearances ... did not allow a run over his last 12.1 innings of work ... inherited 23 base runners upon entering the game and allowed only two to score ... went 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 15 appearances (13 in relief) in BIG EAST action ... allowed 44 hits in 54.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .233 ... struck out 26 and walked five ... went 4-3 with a 4.23 ERA in 12 appearances (five starts) in non-conference action ... allowed 44 hits in 38.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .295 ... struck out 31 and walked nine ... went 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three appearances (all in relief) in the BIG EAST tournament ... allowed two hits in 3.2 inning of work as his opponents batted .167 ... struck out six and walked one ... went 1-0 with a 11.05 ERA in two appearances (both starts) in the month of February ... allowed 13 hits in 7.1 inning of work as his opponents batted .394 ... struck out four and walked two ... went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four appearances (all starts) in the month of March ... allowed 26 hits in 21.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .306 ... struck out 13 and walked 13 ... went 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 10 appearances (one start) in the month of April ... allowed 19 hits in 21.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .244 ... struck out 19 and walked five ... went 3-0 with a team-best 1.29 ERA in 11 appearances (all in relief) in the month of May ... allowed 14 hits in 21.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .192 ... struck out 21 and walked four ... went 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in nine appearances (one start) in home games ... allowed 20 hits in 19.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .282 ... struck out 16 and walked four ... went 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 12 appearances (three starts) in away games ... allowed 31 hits in 34.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .240 ... struck out 27 and walked five ... went 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in six appearances (three starts) in Irish victories ... allowed 21 hits in 17.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .304 ... struck out 14 and walked five ... went 7-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 appearances (four starts) in Irish victories ... allowed 41 hits in 39.2 innings of work as his opponents batted .265 ... struck out 28 and walked eight ... went 4-1 with a 4.03 ERA in 19 appearances (six starts) in day games ... allowed 49 hits in 51.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .251 ... struck out 39 and walked eight ... went 3-2 with a 3.26 ERA in eight appearances (one start) in night games ... allowed 23 hits in 19.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .311 ... struck out 18 and walked six ... went 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in seven starts ... allowed 45 hits in 32.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .336 ... struck out 21 and walked six ... went 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 20 relief appearances ... allowed 27 hits in 38.2 innings of work as his opponents batted .200 ... struck out 36 and walked eight ... left-handed hitters batted .361 (26-for-72) ... right-handed hitters batted .234 (46-for-197) ... batters hit .233 (31-for-133) with runners on base ... batters hit .301 (41-for-136) with the bases empty ... batters hit .250 (19-for-76) with two outs ... registered his first career start in the season-opening victory over Illinois on Feb. 17, but was roughed up for six earned runs on five hits in 2.0 innings of work ... allowed three earned runs on eight hits in his next start against Hofstra (Feb. 25) ... after another difficult start vs. Texas State on Mar. 2 (3 ER, 8 H, 3.2 IP), rebounded with the best outing of his career against LSU on Mar. 11 ... limited the No. 11 Tigers to an earned run on six hits in 8.0 innings ... fanned four and walked one as the Irish picked up a victory against their highest-ranked foe on the road since capping off their historic run to Omaha with a 3-1 victory over No. 1 Florida State on June 10, 2002 ... earned College Baseball 360 Primetime Performers for his effort vs. LSU ... after three more starts, moved into the bullpen following the addition of Pat Connaughton to the starting rotation ... retired all 10 batters he faced in 3.1 perfect innings of relief against Georgetown (Apr. 20) ... worked 4.1 scoreless innings of relief en route to a victory over Butler on May 1 ... picked up victories out of the bullpen against both Northwestern on May 15 (2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB) and Connecticut on May 18 (3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB).
FRESHMAN SEASON (2011): Made 23 appearances out of the Irish bullpen ... served as top setup man and co-closer ... his 23 appearances were tied for the most by any pitcher on the staff ... went 1-2 with a 2.38 earned run average and five saves in 34.0 innings of work ... allowed 27 hits as his opponents batted .218 ... struck out 25 and walked seven ... his five saves were tied for the fourth-most in BIG EAST games only ... ranked first in saves, tied for first in relief appearances, second in games finished and sixth in strikeouts ... averaged 6.62 strikeouts and 1.85 walks per nine innings ... posted a 3.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... Notre Dame posted a 9-13-1 record when Fitzgerald pitched ... did not allow a run in 14 of 23 appearances ... did not issue a walk in 18 of 23 appearances ... went 5-for-5 in save opportunities ... inherited 18 base runners upon entering the game and only allowed three to score ... retired 19 of the 23 first batters he faced ... went 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 13 appearances (all in relief) in BIG EAST action ... allowed 16 hits in 22.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .203 ... struck out 14 and walked two ... went 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in 10 appearances (all in relief) in non-conference action ... allowed 11 hits in 12.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .244 ... struck out 11 and walked five ... went 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two appearances (all in relief) in the month of February ... allowed no hits in 1.0 inning of work as his opponents batted .000 ... struck out one and walked two ... went 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in four appearances (all in relief) in the month of Mar. ... allowed six hits in 7.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .231 ... struck out nine and walked none ... went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in nine appearances (all in relief) in the month of Apr. ... allowed 11 hits in 14.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .208 ... struck out six and walked one ... went 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances (all in relief) in the month of May ... allowed 10 hits in 12.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .238 ... struck out nine and walked four ... went 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in nine appearances (all in relief) in home games ... allowed 11 hits in 16.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .196 ... struck out 13 and walked one ... went 0-2 with a 2.52 ERA in eight appearances (all in relief) in away games ... allowed 13 hits in 14.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .232 ... struck out 11 and walked two ... went 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in nine appearances (all in relief) in Irish victories ... allowed seven hits in 15.0 innings of work as his opponents batted .137 ... struck out seven and walked two ... went 1-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 18 appearances (all in relief) in day games ... allowed 19 hits in 23.2 innings of work as his opponents batted .218 ... struck out 15 and walked six ... went 0-1 with a 1.74 ERA in five appearances (all in relief) in night games ... allowed eight hits in 10.1 innings of work as his opponents batted .216 ... struck out 10 and walked one ... left-handed hitters batted .054 (2-for-37) ... right-handed hitters batted .287 (25-for-87) ... batters hit .185 (10-for-54) with runners on base ... batters hit .243 (17-for-70) with the bases empty ... batters hit .095 (4-for-42) with two outs (over 100 points lower than the Irish as a team) ... tossed a season-high 4.2 innings and struck out five in the 13-inning loss at Rutgers on May 8 ... allowed two hits, one unearned run and struck out six in 4.0 innings of relief against UIC on Mar. 28 ... picked up the victory with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief versus Seton Hall on Apr. 30 ... registered six consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run against Iowa on Mar. 18 (1.0 IP), Gonzaga on Mar. 20 (0.1 IP), UIC on Mar. 28 (4.0 IP), Pittsburgh on Apr. 2 (0.2 IP), Pittsburgh on Apr. 3 (3.0 IP) and Western Michigan on Apr. 6 (1.2 IP) ... recorded four straight scoreless outings against West Virginia on Apr. 15 (0.1 IP), West Virginia on Apr. 17 (1.0 IP), St. John's (1.1 IP) and Seton Hall (3.0 IP).
PREP & PERSONAL: Lettered four years in baseball for head coach John Thomas ... posted a career ERA of 1.69 with a record of 28-9 ... registered a career 1.02 WHIP and 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 219.1 innings pitched ... owned a career batting average of .390 with over 100 hits and 100 RBI ... first player in Virginia AAA Northern Region history to have over 20 career wins and both 100 hits and 100 RBI ... three-time Most Valuable Player ... three-time first team all-district ... two-time Liberty District Pitcher of the Year ... two-time Washington Post first team all-metropolitan ... selected as McLean High School's Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year following his junior year ... honored with the Craig J. Fielder Award following his senior year, the school's most prestigious athletic honor ... owns the school record for career victories ... as a junior, was named first team all-district, Liberty District Pitcher of the Year, first team all-region, honorable mention all-state and first team all-metropolitan ... member of the National Honor Society ... went 8-1 with a 1.46 ERA in 57.2 innings on the mound ... struck out 69 and walked 10 in 10 appearances and nine starts, including eight complete games ... at the plate, batted .470 with 10 doubles, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored and eight stolen bases ... as a sophomore, was named first team all-district and second team all-region ... went 6-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 60.1 innings on the mound ... struck out 62 and walked 17 in 13 appearances, including four complete games and two saves ... at the plate, hit .423 with four doubles, two triples, 23 RBI, 17 runs scored and 14 stolen bases ... as a freshman, was named second team all-district ... went 4-3 with a 1.82 ERA in 42.1 innings on the mound ... struck out 27 and walked nine in nine appearances, including a pair of complete games ... at the plate, hit .364 with five RBI, 10 runs scored and four stolen bases ... born December 24, 1991 in Arlington, Va. ... son of Joe and Michelle Fitzgerald ... has a brother, Eric, and sister, Mia ... full name is Sean Ryan Fitzgerald ... enrolled in Mendoza College of Business as a finance major.
