University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Set to Play Notre Dame This Weekend
5/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STORRS, CT (May 7) The University of Connecticut baseball team will square off with No. 8 Notre Dame in a doubleheader beginning at noon on Sunday, May 9 and will conclude the three game series with a noon clash on Monday. The Huskies will be playing their first game since a 6-2 victory over Hartford on April 29.
The Huskies come into the contest with an overall record of 22-21, 6-11 in BIG EAST play. The Irish have a record of 35-9 on the season and are a half game behind Rutgers with a 12-5 league mark.
The Huskies will start junior Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, CT) in Game 1. In his last nine starts, Hourigan is 4-3 with a 5.47 ERA and four complete games. He is also leading the Huskies with eight homers and 34 RBI. Grant Johnson will start Game 1 for ND. Johnson is 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA in eight starts.
Mike James (Roswell, GA) will get the ball in Game 2 for the Huskies. James is 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA and also has hurled four complete games. James leads the Huskies with 68.2 innings pitched this season. He will square off with Notre Dame's Chris Niesel. Niesel is 5-2 with a 4.35 ERA in 10 starts. He leads the Irish with 68.1 innings of work.
Brendan McGinn (Tolland, CT) has been the Huskies' most consistent starter this spring and he will get the ball for the series finale on Monday. McGinn is just 2-3 this season, but the Huskies are 8-4 in games he pitches. The sophomore lefty has fashioned a 3.29 ERA for the Huskies, which is third lowest in the BIG EAST Conference. Tom Thornton will start Game 3 for the Irish. He is 5-2 with a 3.84 ERA.
