No. 17 Notre Dame Scores Two Runs in 10th Inning to Top Vanderbilt, 3-1 3/8/03

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Brennan Grogan hit a game-winning RBI triple and Matt
Macri laced a RBI single to left field as No. 17 Notre Dame scored twice in
the 10th inning to outlast Vanderbilt, 3-1, Saturday, March 8, at Harmon
Stadium on the University of North Florida campus. With the loss Vanderbilt
goes 3-1 on its Spring Break trip to Florida and is 9-6 on the season. Notre
Dame improves to 4-4.

Starting pitchers for both teams were masterful in their performances but did
not factor into the decision. Notre Dame starter Chris Niesel struck out nine
Commodores without a walk and gave up only three hits and one unearned run in eight innings. Vanderbilt starter Jeremy Sowers struck out six Irish batters,
walked two and surrendered only four hits and one earned run in nine innings
of action.

Sowers did not allow a hit until the sixth inning when Irish designated
hitter Craig Cooper doubled down the right-field line. While Cooper was thrown
out at the plate three batters later, the Irish did manage to score a run in
the inning. Steve Sollmann legged out a single to short and scored three
batters later when Matt Edwards chopped a ball in between the mound and first
base. Edwards beat out Sowers to the first base bag.

Vanderbilt left two runners in scoring position in the third inning and
another runner on second base in the fifth before plating its first run in the
bottom of the sixth. Ryan Klosterman reached first base on a fielding error by
Macri at short. Klostermann, who stole second base, stole third base and came
home when Irish catcher Javi Sanchez’s throw to third base bounced down the
left-field line.

Vanderbilt reliever Jensen Lewis (1-2) entered the game in the 10th inning
and gave up three hits in the frame, including the two by Grogan and Macri.
Irish reliver J.P. Gagne (2-1) pitched the ninth and 10th innings to pick up
the win. He struck out four of the six batters he faced. Vanderbilt plays its next game Tuesday, March 11 at home against Lipscomb before beginning Southeastern Conference play next weekend at nationally ranked Mississippi State.