Feb. 24, 2001
Box Score
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -
Ten Notre Dame players contributed to a 15-hit
attack as the 11th-ranked Notre Dame baseball team downed Texas-Pan American, 14-9,
in Alamo Invitational action Saturday afternoon at V.J. Keefe Stadium.
The final score was not indicative of a game that stood tied (4-4) after six innings, with the
teams then combining for 16 runs over the final three innings (including four by the Broncs
in the top of the ninth).
Notre Dame (4-1) faced early deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 before claiming a 4-1 lead in the fifth,
highlighted by junior DH Paul O'Toole's two-out, two-run shot over the rightfield fence.
Texas-Pan American (1-11) then tied the game with solo home runs in the top of the sixth
and seventh by Caleb Schmidt and Marvin Manns.
Sophomore righthander Brandon Viloria (1-0) picked up the win in relief of junior Matt
Buchmeier, who allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over six innings, with four
strikeouts. Viloria's two-inning stint included two runs allowed (one earned) on three hits.
Freshman first baseman Joe Thaman was one of the leaders of a balanced Irish attack,
collecting two doubles and a single while driving in two runs and scoring a third
(Thaman's season totals now include five doubles and one single).
The bottom third of Notre Dame's starting batting order combined to hit 7-for-12, with a
2-for-4 day from junior catcher Andrew Bushey, Thaman's 3-for-4 and senior third
baseman Ben Cooke's 2-for-4 day.
Notre Dame broke open the 6-6 game with six runs in the bottom of the seventh. Junior
centerfielder Steve Stanley continued to spark the offense with a leadoff single to right,
followed by a walk by senior shortstop Alec Porzel and an RBI single to right field by
sophomore rightfielder Brian Stavisky (who batted 1-for-4 with a walk, after entering the
day 12-for-16 with five walks).
Leftfielder
Kris Billmaier then continued the strong start to his second season with a
run-scoring single to left, ending the short stint of righthanded reliever Ed Marko (0-1).
Levi Fray came on to record the first out of the inning, a groundout by O'Toole, but
Bushey then came through with a two-run single to center field. Thaman's double over the
leftfielder's head and Cooke's groundout plated two more runs for a 12-6 lead.
Notre Dame's four-run eighth included several pinch hits, with sophomore Mike Holba
striking a two-out, RBI double to right-center and junior Matt Bok plunking a home run
high off the scoreboard in right field (the third of his college career and first in two
seasons with the Irish). Freshman catcher Soran Leahy then walked in his first career
at-bat and freshman Javier Sanchez' pinch hit forced the UTPA second baseman into a
tricky error on blooper to shallow right-center field.
Stanley-who has started Notre Dame's last 130 games at center field while playing nearly
every inning at that position-received a rare rest in the ninth inning, with senior lefthander
Mike Naumann inserted at CF for the final three outs. Naumann-who had plenty of
outfield experience as a prep-turned in a play that Stanley would be proud of, sprinting to
the warning track and crashing into the wall while holding on to a flyout off the bat of
Schmidt.
Notre Dame's starting rotation of Buchmeier and seniors Aaron Heilman and Danny
Tamayo has combined for a 2.33 ERA through five games this season, allowing seven
earned runs in a combined 27 innings.
Texas-Pan American (1-11) 0-0-1 0-1-1 1-1-4 - 9 13 1
#11 Notre Dame (4-1) 0-0-0 1-3-0 6-4-X - 14 15 2
Justin Dowd, Ed Marko (6), Levi Fray (7), Mike Killian (8), Eric Garcia (8) and Sean
Flynn.
Matt Buchmeier, Brandon Viloria (7), Drew Duff (9) and Andrew Bushey, Soran Leahy
(9).
Win - Viloria (1-0). Loss - Marko (0-1).
Home Runs (all 1st of season): Paul O'Toole (ND, 1 on in 5th), Caleb Schmidt (UTSA,
solo in 6th), Marvin Manns (UTSA, solo in 7th), Matt Bok (ND, 1 on in 8th).
Doubles: Kris Billmaier (ND), Mike Holba (ND), Joe Thaman 2 (ND) , Ben Cooke (ND),
Matt Sisk (UTSA), Sergio Pompa (UTSA), Sean Flynn (UTSA).
