Notre Dame baseball team gets small, wriggles past Triad

Small ball paid big dividends for the Notre Dame baseball team Friday night.

The Bulldogs coupled a leadoff triple with two infield errors, a bunt single, intentional walk and two sacrifice bunts in the bottom of the six inning to rally past Triad High of Troy, Ill., 3-2 Friday night to end play on the first day of the Notre Dame Showcase.

"You get in these cold conditions against that type of pitcher, you've got to utilize that at some point," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett, whose squad improved to 16-2 on the season. "You've just got to move it around."

With Triad leading 2-1 and Knights starting pitcher Jordan Felax cruising along with a one-hitter, Notre Dame junior Josh Haggerty led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple to the gap in right-center. Justin Landewee dribbled one in front of the mound, but Triad pitcher Jordan Felax's throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag, allowing Haggerty to score and putting Landewee at first.

"Just trying to be aggressive and protect the plate," Haggerty said about his triple, which came on a 1-2 count and followed a curveball that had him fooled. "I had to adjust to a fastball that [Felax] got up, and just went with it."

Notre Dame shortstop Justin Landewee fields a ground ball during the Bulldogs’ 3-2 win over the Knights during the Notre Dame Showcase on Friday.

"A 1-2 count, he got a pitch he can handle," Graviett said. "He got ahold of it. Huge hit, huge spot."

A bunt single by Chase Simmons put runners at first and second, and a sacrifice by Luke Haines moved the runners up 90 feet. An intentional walk loaded the bases, bringing up designated hitter Stephen Brennan, who belted a ground ball back up the middle. Triad shortstop Dalton Johnson ranged far to his left but bobbled the ball near second base, the error allowing Landewee to score and give Notre Dame the lead.

"He was a good pitcher," Haggerty said about Felax. "We had to take as many bases as we could."

Even though the Bulldogs failed to hit a ball out of the infield after Haggerty's drive, Notre Dame took advantage of bunting the runners along and both Triad errors.

"Those were big," Haggerty said. "They came at big times for us. We just took advantage of good opportunities."

Notre Dame’s Griffin Siebert lays down a bunt against Triad during the Notre Dame Showcase on Friday. (ADAM VOGLER)

The rally made a winner of Bulldog starter Ross James [3-1], who settled down after a rough first inning and picked up the win, allowing two runs on four hits, walking two, striking out seven and hitting a batter over six innings. Landewee pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, earning his third save of the season.

"I had to learn to mix my pitches up," James said, noting his slider began working in the second inning and became his out-pitch. "Throwing my curveball for strikes from behind [in the count] really helped. I got into a rhythm. This is a real good hitting team."

The Knights touched James for two runs on three hits in the top of the first before James settled down, allowing just one hit over his final five innings.

"He had a rough start," Graviett said. "He was leaving his breaking pitches up. But he really threw well against a really good team."

Triad coach Jesse Bugger lamented the fact his squad couldn't come up with the key out during Notre Dame's sixth-inning rally.

"We didn't make a couple plays," Bugger said as his team fell to 10-6 on the season. "I thought their kid threw the ball well. We got to him early. Unfortunately, we couldn't tack any more runs on early."

Small ball also played a role in the Bulldogs' first run of the game. After the Knights jumped on top 2-0, Notre Dame's Chase Urhahn opened the bottom of the first inning by drawing a walk. Haggerty put down a perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line, Urhahn alertly taking third when the Triad third baseman failed to return to the base following his throw to first. Urhahn scored on Landewee's groundout to second.

The Bulldogs also came up with a few defensive gems to keep the Knights at bay. With one out and runners at first and second in the top of the first, Triad's Matt Mersinger lined to Haggerty in center, who then rifled a throw to second to double up the Triad runner who had strayed too far off the bag. In the top of the third, Simmons gunned down Triad's Cody Massey trying to steal second to end the inning. And after hitting Jacob Thomas to open the fifth, James quickly erased Thomas with a pickoff throw to first.

Triad 200 000 0 -- 2 4 3

Notre Dame 100 002 x -- 3 3 0

WP: Ross James (3-1). LP: Jordan Felax. S: Justin Landewee. 3B: Josh Haggerty (ND). Multiple hits: Triad -- Lucas Criley 2-3. Records: Triad 10-6, Notre Dame 16-2.