HOUSTON - Cole Johnson only allowed one hit in six innings as
Notre Dame defeated the Oral Roberts University baseball team by a
score of 2-1 on Friday at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Rice
Classic at Reckling Park. The Golden Eagles dropped to 5-2 overall,
while the Fighting Irish improved to 4-3 on the season.
Notre Dame scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth
inning, as Jeremy Barnes lined a two-out hit to right field to
drive in the runner from third.
A half-inning earlier, Tyler
Garewal (Bakersfield, Calif.) led off, crushing a 3-1 pitch
over the left field wall for his first career home run at ORU to
knot the contest at 1-1.
Notre Dame on the board first in the bottom of the third.
Cameron McConnell led off with a walk, and after a sacrifice bunt
to advance the runner, A.J. Pollock doubled down the left field
line to plate McConnell.
The Irish threatened in the home-half of the fifth but the
Golden Eagles were able to escape without any damage. Greg Sherry
led off with an infield base hit, and advanced to second on a
throwing error. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to
third, Jerry
Sullivan (Budd Lake, N.J.) fielded another bunt and was able to
catch Sherry off the bag at third.
The Golden Eagles escaped trouble once again the following
inning. With runners on the corners and one out, Sullivan fanned
Mick Doyle and Seth
Furmanek (Gilbert, Ariz.) threw the runner out at first
base.
ORU threatened to score in the top of the seventh, when Michael
Notaro (Westlake Village, Calif.) drew a lead-off walk, and
after a Robert
Barbosa (Dallas, Texas) sacrifice bunt, Johnny
Roberts (Pryor, Okla.) legged out an infield hit to put runners
on the corners with one out. The Golden Eagles were unable to
produce any runs after two fly outs to end the inning.
Sullivan picked up his first loss of the season after allowing
two runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings with four strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles return to action against Washington State
(3-5) at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Live stats of this weekend's action is available at www.riceowls.com.
- ORU -
