April 17, 2008

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio - Notre Dame split a home twin bill with John Carroll Thursday. The Falcons took game one, 7-1, and dropped the nightcap, 3-0.

The win in the opener snapped a four-game losing streak for Notre Dame. With the non-conference split, NDC is now 16-18 on the season. The doubleheader at Paul Serra Field also closed out a three-game series between the two eastside schools this season. NDC won the season series, two games to one.

Notre Dame got solid pitching in the games - four Falcon hurlers combined to give up just two earned runs on the day. That pitching performance was highlighted by game one starter Lafe Burnette (So/Romulus, MI), who went the distance allowing just one run.

Game one (NDC 7, JCU 1)
Burnette opened the game by yielding a leadoff home run to junior center fielder Ryan Lewis (Cleveland, OH) on the second pitch of the game. The Falcon right-hander then retired the side. Burnette gave up a leadoff double the next inning, but he escaped without a run and shut down the JCU offense after that.

The Michigan native scattered seven hits in going the distance for NDC. The complete game was his second this season. Burnette walked one and struck out five. He retired the last five batters he faced. Burnette held the Blue Streaks to an 0-for-6 mark with runners in scoring position.

On the offensive end, NDC struck early. The Falcons scored four in the first and two more in the second. A Ryan Lewis error in the first led to three unearned runs. The Falcons chased freshman lefty Tom Schaberl (Richmond Heights, OH) after two. Another JCU left-hander, sophomore Adam Jenkins (Amherst, NY), pitched well (four innings, one run, four strikeouts) in relief.

NDC collected 12 hits in the game, including four doubles.

Game two (JCU 3, NDC 0)
In the nightcap, three John Carroll (18-9) pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout. Michael Eden (Fr/Aurora, OH) went four for the win. The JCU bullpen went three innings, allowing just one baserunner.

Senior Steve Kovar (Cleveland, OH) started for Notre Dame. He went three and gave up three runs (one earned). The NDC defense was shaky in the game; the Falcons committed four errors.

The Falcons managed just six singles and a walk in being shut out for the fifth time this season.

Nate Campbell (Jr/Lakewood, OH) went 4-for-5 with a hit-by-pitch in the two games. Making a position change to center field, Campbell also made an outstanding catch on a rifle shot hit to the warning track in left-center in game two.

Chris Palagyi (Jr/Parma, OH), Eric Pelot (Jr/Lakewood, OH), and Dustin Taulbee (Sr/Elyria, OH) eaach tallied three hits on the day.

Bryan Robinett (So/Loveland, OH) led the JCU offense, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs.