Hawkeyes Down Notre Dame On St. Patrick's Day

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March 17, 2011

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SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Iowa baseball team beat Notre Dame Thursday, 4-3, in ten innings in the first game of the Irish Classic. The game was played at Wolff Stadium. The win marked the first time a team has defeated Notre Dame on St. Patrick’s Day in five years.

“Our guys played tremendous baseball today,” said Iowa Head Coach Jack Dahm. “I thought Jarred Hippen threw the ball extremely well today. Our guys showed a lot of character in that last inning after Notre Dame came back in the bottom of the ninth. I’m very proud of the way our guys battled and executed all day. It was a good solid team win for us.”

The Hawkeyes (6-8) grabbed a one-run lead in the top of the fourth. Mike McQuillan led off the inning with a double to down the left field line. The double to left extended McQuillan’s hitting streak to nine games. Zach McCool sacrificed to the pitcher, advancing McQuillan to third. Andrew Ewing flew out to left, scoring McQuillan.

The Fighting Irish (7-8) answered with a run of their own in the fifth, tying the game at one.

The game remained tied 1-1 until the top of the ninth when Iowa plated two runs to claim a 3-1 lead. Chett Zeise singled through the right side to get things started for the Hawkeyes. Tyson Blaser reached on an error, moving pinch-runner Patrick Harshman to second. With Taylor Zeutenhorst in to run for Blaser, Andrew Host sacrificed, moving Harshman to third and Zeutenhorst to second. Keith Brand delivered, singling home both runners to give Iowa the two-run advantage.

The Fighting Irish rallied again, scoring two of their own in the bottom half of the ninth off Iowa closer Kevin Lee to send the game into extra innings.

With one down in the top of the tenth, McQuillan collected his second hit with a double to left. McCool followed with a single to center, moving McQuillan to third. With one out, Ewing laid down a perfect safety squeeze up the right side allowing McQuillan to cross home plate for the game-winning tally.

Lee, who got the win for the Hawkeyes, pitched a perfect bottom of the tenth to give Iowa a 4-3 win.

Hippen limited Notre Dame to only one run and six hits in a no-decision. The junior went eight a third innings, striking out five.

The last team to top the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day was the Hawkeyes in 2006, also in San Antonio.

Iowa, who has won two of its last three, continues action Friday at the Irish Classic in San Antonio. The Hawkeyes will play Notre Dame at noon and Gonzaga at 4 p.m.