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The Observer

Football: Changing of the guard

By The Observer · Monday, April 8, 2013

Last year, Notre Dame's veteran offensive line arrived ready to dominate, and did just that by powering the run game and protecting rookie quarterback Everett Golson.

The Observer

SMC Tennis: Belles size up conference rival

By The Observer · Monday, April 8, 2013

The Belles have made it look easy in back-to-back 9-0 victories. But Wednesday's conference matches against Albion will be different, as one team will have to suffer its first conference loss of the season.

The Observer

Lorton: Betting on The Masters (April 10)

By The Observer · Monday, April 8, 2013

The overblown March Madness has finally come to an end, so what sporting event do you bet on next? Bet on the Masters. It is a timeless American tradition and probably the only golf tournament most people actually watch for enjoyment. And don't just bet on it for money, but for the entertainment as well. Here are a few storylines that deserve to be looked at further. 3:1 - Tiger Woods As of now, Tiger Woods is listed at 3:1 odds for winning the green jacket according to VegasInsider.com. What would a golf story be without Tiger Woods? Whether you love the guy or hate the guy, his presence makes golf more interesting. He is back as the No. 1 golfer in the world and he is back as the projected winner for every tournament here on out. If Tiger wins, he will bring his green jacket total to five. With five, Woods will surpass Arnold Palmer (the beverage mogul) and be within one title of Jack Nicklaus' six Masters victories.

The Observer

SMC Softball: Belles take two, drop two

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

Saint Mary's swept both games of a double-header against Albion - its first MIAA conference opponent of the year - on Saturday before losing both games against North Park on Sunday. The Belles defeated Albion 9-4 in the first game and 21-4 (five innings) in the second game. They lost their scoring touch the next day, however, losing 1-0 in the first and 6-3 in the second. "The conference seems a little stacked this year with a lot of disparity between the top and bottom teams, so these Albion games were must win games," Belles coach Erin Sullivan said. Saint Mary's started off strong in the first game with four runs and six hits in the bottom of the first. Senior Emily Sherwood, senior Morgan Bedan, freshman Jillian Busfield and junior Callie Selner all crossed home plate to make the score 4-0 going into the second inning. Saint Mary's pushed its lead to 8-2 in the fourth. Selner hit a single to left center, bringing home both Watkins, who reached base from a single up the middle, and Sherwood, who got on base following a fielding error. Saint Mary's solidified its 9-4 lead in the top of the sixth with a home run from Sherwood. The second game saw an offensive outburst from Saint Mary's. They sent 43 batters to the plate and hit through the lineup in both the first and the fifth inning. The Belles tallied six runs in the first inning, three in the second, two in the third, and 10 in the fifth. Busfield, Bedan, Selner, Sherwood and sophomore Victoria Connelly all scored for the Belles. Selner, who pitched in the first game, and freshman pitcher Sarah Burke both recorded wins in the circle. Selner only allowed two earned runs off three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in seven innings of play. Burke, who pitched the shortened second game, only allowed three earned runs on five hits and two strikeouts in five innings of play. Despite their victories, Sullivan said the strongest point of both games was the hitting. "We really hit the ball hard and attacked the opposing pitchers rather than getting deep in counts and watching good pitches go by without swinging," Sullivan said. Sullivan said Emily Sherwood was a standout player for the Belles. "She hit .600 on the week and (hit) her first collegiate home run with an incredible line drive over the left center fence," Sullivan said. Sullivan also said Busfield and freshman Kayla Chapman, both graduates of Riley High School in South Bend, had great games. They collectively accounted for five home runs in one day. Sullivan said she is happy with the team's overall performance, although there are always areas for improvement. "The team did a great job of capitalizing on errors, hitting the ball hard, and coming back offensively when we had some defensive miscues," Sullivan said. "I think we need to do a better job of getting the third out in the inning on defense." Saint Marys' will take on Hope, another MIAA conference opponent Wednesday at home at 3:30 p.m. Contact Meredith Kelly at mkelly29@nd.edu

The Observer

ND Women's Golf: Golfers end regular season

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

In their final regular-season tournament, the Irish placed eighth at the three-day SMU Dallas Athletic Club Invitational. The No. 23 Irish finished with a team total of 935 (319-309-307), 71 strokes over par. The Irish improved with each round, and their final round of 307 - which tied them with No. 35 Denver ⎯ was the fourth-best in the field. "We got better each day we played," Irish coach Susan Holt said. "I was pleased that the third day was our best round." The weather and course conditions had significant effects on the Irish throughout the entire tournament, Holt said. "The weather conditions were very tough, and it was windy the whole tournament," Holt said. "The course conditions and pin placements were difficult as well." On top of inclement weather and harsh course conditions, freshman Lindsey Weaver was unable to play in the tournament due to illness. The Irish had to play with only four players. The pressure was on, Holt said. "There is pressure playing with only four players because every score counts and the girls have to fight through it," Holt said. After the first day of play, the Irish found themselves in 11th place, just one stroke behind tenth place Louisville. No. 74 Ashley Armstrong, a sophomore, led the way for the Irish with a 6-over-par score of 78, which placed her 31st overall. The Irish finished the second round of the tournament in eighth place. They passed Big East rival Louisville by eight strokes on Saturday. Armstrong played another solid round with a 1-over-par score of 73 to climb into ninth place. Freshman Talia Campbell concluded the day with a 4-over-effort of 76 and moved up from 41st place to 28th place overall. On the last day of play, the Irish finished strong with a score of 307, but it was No. 19 Oklahoma State that took home the gold. Campbell tied for 10th place overall, he fourth top-10 finish of this season. She had four birdies and 10 pars during the final round to gain her fifth even or better score of the season. Armstrong achieved her fourth consecutive top-25 finish and eleventh of her career with a 14-over-par score of 230 (78-73-79) to tie for 16th place. "Ashley and Talia finishing so well in this tournament was certainly a highlight," Holt said. After completing this last regular-season tournament, the Irish now turn their focus to the Big East tournament. "It was tough getting through the weather conditions and only having four players, but with all things considered, we got through it and are now looking forward to the Big East tournament," Holt said. With a couple weeks to get ready, the Irish are in preparation mode, Holt said. "We need to get Lindsey healthy, and preparations will depend on the weather," Holt said. "We will prepare either way." The Irish commence their postseason at the Big East championship in Orlando, Fla., at the Reunion Resort and Golf Club. The tournament will begin April 21 and conclude April 23. Contact Kit Loughran at kloughr1@nd.edu  

The Observer

ND Women's Basketball: Diggins ends legendary collegiate career

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

NEW ORLEANS - "Best player ever." Those were the words Irish coach Muffet McGraw used to describe senior guard SkylarDiggins after Notre Dame's loss to Connecticut on Sunday. The same player McGraw was describing had just finished a game in which she shot 20 percent from the field, turned the ball over six times and for the third straight year fell short of a national championship. "I think she's a champion. I do," McGraw said of Diggins. "I know we didn't win it, but what she has done for us has been amazing and she's leaves Notre Dame as the most celebrated and decorated and best player ever, and I'm happy for that." In terms of scoring, Diggins is the best Notre Dame player ever. She finished her Irish career Sunday with 2,357 points, the program's new all-time record. In the process, Diggins did more than impress her own coach. "I would say there hasn't been an opponent that we played against that's had more success against us than she's had," Connecticut coach GenoAuriemma said. Although Diggins' poor shooting night fell well below her career standards, she has struggled offensively against Connecticut this season. In four games against the Huskies, she shot 30 percent from the field and turned the ball over 26 times. According to Auriemma, however, Diggins' statistics alone do not indicate her greatness. "Well, you know the ironic thing about it is that if you check Skylar's shooting percentage and all that stuff against us, it's not that great, including tonight," he said. "But what makes her who she is, is that invariably whenever there's a time where she has to get a three, she gets one.  Whenever she needs to get in the lane and get an assist, she gets one." Since Diggins first suited up at Notre Dame in 2009, the Irish have lost a total of 20 games. She and fellow senior Kaila Turner are the only players on the Notre Dame roster to know the feeling of losing before reaching the Final Four. "We definitely owe a lot to Skylar for what she brought to us the last three years," junior forward Natalie Achonwa said. "It's been a great run. We don't know anything but the Final Four - our class.  We were very fortunate to be here again." Freshman guard Jewell Loyd said Diggins' career ended on a sad note but still provided a glimmer of hope. "I told her I love her [after the game]. You know I wanted to win it for her, obviously," Loyd said. "Everything she's done for me I kind of just want to give it back to her but she told me to get better and come back here next year." According to Loyd, Diggins' leadership will continue to affect the Irish, especially Loyd herself. "I use this as motivation for next year," Loyd said "I know one thing, I'm not going to lose her as a [sister].  She already told me that she would keep in contact with me and everything.  A friendship like that doesn't go away." Auriemma also praised Diggins' legacy, telling her after the game her inability to win a national championship does not diminish her iconic status. "[Auriemma] just said don't let this game define my legacy," Diggins said. "He told me that he feels like I've done more for the sport than some people who won four national championships.  And he just told me that I've done a lot for the game of basketball and I had a great career." Though it didn't end perfectly, Diggins' night did end in a fitting way, with the South Bend native thanking her hometown as she left the podium at New Orleans Arena. "I just want to say thank you to all the fans and the city of South Bend for the support.  Thank you, thank you," she said. But if friends and competitors alike are any indication, it's Diggins who should be thanked. Contact Cory Bernard at cbernard@nd.edu  

The Observer

Rowing: Rowers edge Ohio State, Michigan

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Irish finished with two victories in their return to the water, defeating No. 8 Michigan at the Ohio State Rowing Invitational on the Griggs Reservoir on Saturday. "The team had a successful regatta with the varsity boats racing strong against Michigan in the morning, followed by solid times against Ohio State in the afternoon," freshman Carson Canonie said. No. 13 Notre Dame's first varsity eight captured an exciting victory over Michigan in the opening race, edging the Wolverines' time of 6:54.03 by 0.13 of a second. The Irish second varsity eight launch secured another win over Michigan with a winning time of 7:07.97, more than 10 seconds faster than Michigan's 7:18.05. The Irish weren't as successful in their other morning races, finishing runner-up in the first varsity four (8:15.61), second varsity four (8:34.90), first novice eight (7:42.42) and second novice eight (7:57.70). Though the Irish opened the day with two solid victories, they found themselves coming up just short during the afternoon races. The Irish launches claimed five second-place finishes against both Michigan and Ohio State. Despite not winning the races, the Irish posted competitive race times against the No. 4 Ohio State. Canonie said the opportunity to race against both Michigan and Ohio State was beneficial for the Irish, especially the novice boats. Canonie said the team saw great improvement from the last regatta. "Since the last regatta, we improved on maintaining fortitude throughout the race and integrating a successful race sprint for the last part of the race," Canonie said. As the spring season quickly approaches its end, the Irish aim to secure an NCAA bid with successful performances in their upcoming competitions. The team has aspects of its racing that it will continue to work on as the end of the season approaches, Canonie said. "Looking forward, we are going to continue working on our fitness and power in order to achieve stronger connection in the water and a higher ration of power per stroke," Canonie said. The Irish now turn their focus to the Lake Natoma Invitational, which will be held on April 20-21 in Sacramento, Calif.   Contact Kit Loughran at kloughr1@nd.edu

The Observer

ND Softball: Irish lose first conference game

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Irish won their series against Villanova this weekend, but suffered their first conference loss of this season Saturday. After junior Laura Winter,  senior Brittany O'Donnell freshman Allie Rhodes combined pitching efforts for a 4-1 win in the weekend opener, Winter took the circle once again in the second game but found herself on the wrong end of a pitcher's duel as Notre Dame (26-9, 7-1 Big East) fell to the Wildcats (13-19, 1-8 Big East) by a score of 1-0. "The biggest takeaway from this weekend is that we need to continue to get better each and every day," senior catcher and captain Amy Buntin said. "Every game we need to take one inning, one out, and one pitch at a time. Just showing up at this point in the season won't be good enough to take us where we want to go." Winter took the circle once again on Sunday aided by run production by sophomore catcher Cassidy Whidden, who broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning with a home run to put the Irish up 1-0. Whidden scored three runs on the day en route to a 9-3 Notre Dame victory. "On Sunday we did a great job of fighting, and we played with a spark," Buntin said. "Whidden's home run today gave us the momentum we needed for the rest of the game. She did a great job coming in and leading us that inning." Buntin said the team was disappointed to drop the second game Saturday and attributed the loss to poor offensive production. "Villanova kept us off balance at the plate and forced us into easy outs," she said. "Simply put, our offense did not produce or execute when needed." In spite of losing a conference game for the first time this season, the squad remains undeterred as they move forward. Buntin said the team takes every game - win or loss - as a learning experience and expects to improve each time. "Going into each weekend, we expect that if we play Notre Dame softball we should dominate any Big East opponent we face," Buntin said. "Unfortunately we let one slip this weekend to Villanova, not a strong team, but we learned from the loss and won't let another slip." The Irish will travel to Evanston, Ill. next Tuesday to take on Northwestern at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Contact Laura Coletti at lcoletti@nd.edu  

The Observer

Men's Tennis: Irish sweep weekend

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

This weekend the Irish completed a three-game sweep in their last series of the season in the familiar confines of the Eck Tennis Pavilion. No. 31 Notre Dame (15-7) took down SMU 6-1, South Florida 6-1 and Butler 7-0 to push their winning streak to five, the longest of the season so far. "I'd say our biggest strength was maintaining our focus and intensity throughout all three matches," sophomore Mike Fredericka said. "It was a lot of tennis for two days." Seniors BlasMoros, Michael Moore and Spencer Talmadge were honored for their achievements over the last four years, and each contributed to the three wins this weekend. The Irish won the doubles point in all three matches, providing a strong start in an area where they have struggled throughout the season. Of the nine doubles matches played over the weekend, the squad only lost one. "We mixed up our doubles lineup a little this week and I think it will take a little time for some of the teams to mesh," Fredericka said. "We used this weekend as a chance to build some momentum heading into the Big East tournament." On Friday night, Moros took the first win in singles play against SMU, beating senior Gaston Cuadranti 6-1, 6-3. At the No. 2 spot, freshman Quentin Monaghan posted an impressive 6-0, 6-2 victory over redshirt junior Pablo Perez-Esnaola. Junior Ryan Bandy pushed the lead to 4-0 to seal the win by taking down redshirt freshman Nate Lammons 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6. On Saturday afternoon No. 109 junior Greg Andrews led the way in singles play against USF, taking down sophomore Oliver Pramming 6-4, 6-2 . Junior Billy Pecor stretched the lead to 3-0 when he defeated junior Federico Sabogal 6-2, 6-4. Moore closed out the win, beating senior J. C. Acuna Gerard 7-6, 6-3. With the victory secured, play continued as Monaghan and Moros each captured another win. The win pushed Moros' singles play to 12-5. Notre Dame carried the momentum from the two wins into Saturday afternoon, smoothly taking down Butler 7-0. Andrews took the 2-0 lead for the second time, defeating sophomore PulockBhattacharya 6-2, 6-0. Moore added another win to singles play, taking down sophomore Ruben Geeraert 6-1, 6-3. Pecor clinched the team victory, beating sophomore Tommy Marx 6-3, 6-2. Fredericka, Monaghan and freshman Alex Lawson also contributed wins in singles play to stretch the lead to 7-0. The Irish next face No. 50 Louisville in Louisville, Ken. at 2 p.m. Saturday for their last dual meet before the Big East championships. Contact Megan Finneran at mfinnera@nd.edu  

The Observer

SMC Golf: Saint Mary's finishes seventh

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

In a crowded 20-team field which featured eight top-25 teams from both the NAIA and NCAA Division III, Saint Mary's golfers finished the weekend's Washington University in St. Louis Spring Invitational in ninth place. After ending Saturday in seventh place, the Belles improved their second-day score by 17 strokes, but it still wasn't enough to keep up with the steep competition. At the end of the weekend, William Woods won its second consecutive title with a two-day score of 623, and DePauw finished close behind, losing eight strokes. Starring for DePauw was the tournament's individual champion, junior Paige Gooch, who turned in a two-day score of 153. On Sunday, Gooch turned in a three-over-par. For the Belles, sophomore Janice Heffernan produced the Belles' best performance after shooting a score of 164 over the weekend. With an 81 on Sunday, Heffernan finished in 24th place individually in a field of 112. On Sunday, freshman Claire Boyle outdid Heffernan with a score of 80, a nine-stroke improvement from her Saturday school. Combined with her Saturday score, Boyle enjoyed a 169, which was good for 41st individually. Also coming in 41st was junior Paige Pollack, who built on her outstanding performance at the George Fox Phoenix Invitational by scoring an 87 and an 82 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Pollack maintained her team-best average round score of 82.25, or roughly 10-over par. Junior Alexi Brown had the Belle's highest score this weekend after shooting 175. Absent this weekend was Saint Mary's captain, senior Jessica Kinnick. After a 181 on her first outing of the season, Kinnick has struggled to hit her stride in her final season for the Belles. Up next, Saint Mary's will head to Saugatuck, Mich. for next Saturday's Dutch Spring Invitational at the Ravine Golf Club. Contact Cole Schietinger at cschieti@nd.edu.

The Observer

Track and Field: Notre Dame delivers at Michigan State

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

Another weekend, another great performance for the Irish as the team traveled to East Lansing for the Michigan State Invitational. Coming off a strong showing at the Stanford Invitational and the Oliver Nikilof Open last weekend, the Irish had high expectations for this meet. The Irish had 36 athletes finish in the top 10 in their respective events, with half of those placing in the top five. Among the standouts for the men were sophomore and junior middle distance runners Kevin Byrne and Eddy Gibbons and senior thrower Anthony Thomas, who each captured two top-10 finishes. In the men's 800-meter race, Gibbons, Byrne and sophomore Steve Blazer managed to finish seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively, in a field of 56. Gibbons and Byrne joined junior Jack Favorite and freshman Spencer Rheinhardt in the 4x400-meter relay. The fifth-place, 3:25 finish was the best of Rheinhardt's young career. In addition to great track performances, the Irish men turned in a strong showing on the field. With fourth- and 10th-place finishes in the hammer throw and discus, Thomas led the group of veterans, but senior Ted Glasnow and junior Jordan Stumph were not to be outdone. They turned  in top-10 performances of their own in the long jump and hammer throw, respectively. "All the jumps were inside and I debuted a longer approach, so ended up matching my PR in long jump," Glasnow said. On the women's side, the Irish celebrated five second-place finishes, led by senior sprinter Nevada Sorensen. Sorensen's time of 13.72 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles was the second-best time in the Big East this year. The senior star also finished eighth in the 100-meter race. In the hurdles, Sorensen was joined by junior Meghan Moore, who came in sixth, and sophomore Carly Loeffel, who finished 10th. The women fared well in the 800-meter race just as the men did, with fifth, sixth and seventh-place finishes by sophomores Emily Frydrych and Kaileen Healy and senior Angela Ryck. "Its too bad [all of the] events were not outside, since the main reason for competing at MSU was to get some practice in the elements before the Decathlons latter in the season," Glasnow said. Next weekend the Irish will head to Louisville, Kentucky for the Louisville Border Battle. Contact Cole Schietinger at cschieti@nd.edu  

The Observer

ND Women's Soccer: Irish triumph over Mexico U-20 squad

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

Under Irish coach Randy Waldrum, Notre Dame has always played a challenging national schedule of top college teams. But the Irish went a step further Friday night, defeating the Mexico under-20 national team 4-3 at Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame freshman defender CariRoccaro scored the game-winning goal for the Irish three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the second half, breaking free on the right side and driving home a shot past the outstretched arms of Mexico goalkeeper Alejandra Gutierrez. Roccaro's game-winner came just minutes after she assisted on a game-tying goal. In the 85th minute, she attempted a hard shot from just outside the box that deflected off Gutierrez, and freshman forward Crystal Thomas knocked in the rebound for the equalizing goal. "To get two goals to come back in the last 10 minutes against a national team of Mexico's caliber is great," Waldrum said. "It should be a big confidence boost for us because we struggled offensively late last fall." The Irish provided the first offensive spark Friday night, as sophomore forward Karin Simonian drilled in a shot from 25 yards out in the 18th minute, tying her goal total from last season. Waldrum said Simonian, who led the team with four shots Friday, should factor more prominently in Notre Dame's offense in the fall. "If [Simonian] can continue to play like she's played the last two games, then clearly she'll fit into the equation," Waldrum said. "We've tried to find what her best position is in the last year or so, but, in these last two games, she's done a good job playing the floater position up front." Mexico tied the game up in the 30th minute when forward Tanya Samarzich blasted a shot past Irish freshman goalkeeper Naomi Willett. Notre Dame regained the lead in the 54th minute when freshman defender Katie Naughton headed in a shot off Thomas' corner kick. Mexico took back the lead after Samarzich scored twice to complete the hat trick. Samarzich, who has committed to USC, broke away for the tying goal in the 57th minute and then struck a shot into the lower right corner of the goal in the 77th to give Mexico the lead. "[Mexico] finds a way to punish you for every little mistake you make," Waldrum said. "[Samarzich] scored three great goals on us, she could find those little gaps to get into and you don't find many college teams that are that smart tactically in the way they play." With freshman goalkeeper Elyse Hight out with a shoulder injury and sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Voigt nursing a groin injury, Willett, who only saw action in two games last season, got the start in goal, her second of the spring season. She played the full game in goal, making two saves. "[Willett] needed the spring because she needed to get games," Waldrum said. "She's done okay, certainly there's some things she's gotten exposed on a bit, but you really want the spring to give her a learning curve and help her be more prepared for the fall." Notre Dame will close out its spring schedule with a friendly against the Haitian national team at Alumni Stadium on April 26. Contact Brian Hartnett at bhartnet@nd.edu  

The Observer

Baseball: Irish take two of three from Villanova

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Irish had a rough three days but still managed to take two out of three in the weekend series against Villanova. The Irish went 4-3 on Friday night and 11-8 on Saturday before losing 10-6 Sunday afternoon. "We were really fortunate to take two out of three this weekend," Irish coach MikAoki said. "I thought we played as bad as a three game stretch as we have played all year and we still managed to get two...so that's good. Hopefully it is a funky three game stretch and we get better."   In Friday's game, No. 20 Notre Dame (19-10) edged out the Wildcats (9-21) in a contest where both teams struggled to score runners on base. Going into the 11th inning, the No. 20 Irish were 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, while Villanova batters went 3-for-19. In the 11th, freshman catcher Ricky Sanchez hit a walk-off single up the middle to give the Irish the 4-3 victory. The middle of the lineup jumpstarted the scoring drive by Notre Dame in the bottom of the fourth. Junior third baseman Eric Jagielo led off with a double, then junior first baseman Trey Mancini hit a sacrifice fly to right field to move Jagielo over to third. Sophomore left fielder Ryan Bull then grounded out to the right side to bring in Jagielo. The Irish got another run in the bottom of the fifth when Wildcats starting pitcher Pat Young, a junior, plunked Jagielo with the bases loaded. Villanova and the Irish both tallied a run in the sixth to make the score 3-1. In the top of the eighth the Irish ran into trouble. Junior closer Dan Slania came in for a two-inning save with runners on second and third. Slania struck out the first batter, but Wildcats junior catcher John Cialone smacked a double to right-center to bring the runners in and tie the game at 3-3. It was Slania's first blown save of the season and only the third blown save of his college career. Notre Dame's pitching was uncharacteristically wild over the course of the weekend. "It's understandable to a certain extent with [sophomore pitcher Pat Connaughton] getting his legs under him a bit," Aoki said. "But for the rest of the staff was just inexcusable to do that, especially some of the guys that it came from, guys that shouldn't be [giving up walks]. We created a ton of offense for them."   Connaughton recorded his third start of the year and was relieved by freshman Nick McCarty. Going into the game Notre Dame led the Big East in fewest walks per game, but the Irish gave up nine walks and one hit-by-pitch. Slania (3-1) eventually picked up the win and Villanova junior reliever Chris Haggarty received the loss after the Irish scored in the bottom of the 11th inning. On Saturday the Irish and Wildcats battled back and forth before Mancini hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 9-6 and put the Irish ahead for good. Mancini had a career high six RBIs in one game and was one RBI away from tying the school record of seven in one game. Irish junior pitcher Adam Norton kept his perfect 7-0 season record intact largely because of Mancini's grand slam. Norton was on the verge of earning a loss or no decision in the middle of the sixth, as Villanova led 6-4. Norton allowed six runs in six innings, three of them earned, as well as 10 hits, seven strikeouts and two walks. The Irish got the lead early, scoring one run in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the second. In the fourth and fifth the Wildcats struck back. Villanova freshman first baseman Max Beermann hit a hanging curveball out of the park with Norton on the mound in the fourth and an inning later the Wildcats scored three more runs on an error and a few miscues to take the 4-3 lead. Notre Dame tied the game at 4-4 on a sacrifice fly by Mancini in the bottom of the inning, but the Wildcats again came back and tallied two more runs in the top of the sixth. Mancini hit the grand slam in the bottom of the sixth, icing Villanova. The teams weren't done scoring runs: Notre Dame scored two more and the Wildcats earned three more before the end of the game, but the Irish held on for a 11-8 victory.    Aoki said the Irish pitching was not up to typical Notre Dame standards on Sunday, which led to opportunities for the Wildcats. "[The problems we had] all stem from the pitching," Aoki said. "We were, from the second inning on, put on our heels. We never got back into. When we opened the door for them, they kicked it wide open." On Sunday, the Irish couldn't keep up with the Wildcats. The Wildcats took advantage of the numerous walks issued by Notre Dame's pitchers. Six of the 10 runs scored by Villanova were players who were walked or hit by a pitch. This was Villanova's first win at Notre Dame. Previously the Wildcats were 0-18-1 when visiting Eck Stadium.   Villanova broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning when Irish sophomore starting pitcher Matt Ternowchek loaded the bases with no outs. Ternowchek walked in two, and a bad hop and a sacrfice fly gave the Wildcats at a 4-0 lead before freshman Zak Kutsulis was called on from the bullpen to end the inning. Ternowchek was charged with the loss, while Wildcats starter sophomore Josh Harris threw 134 pitches and earned a win. Bull, however, batted in five runs in Sunday's game, a career best. "It's important that [Bull] provides protection to [Jagielo and Mancini]," Aoki said. "For Bull to have the day he did, I thought that was good." Two of Bull's RBI came in the bottom of the third with a two-out single while the bases were loaded. Notre Dame cut the Wildcats lead to one in the third, but Villanova scored again in the fifth to make the game 5-3. In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats scored five runs off of Irish reliever Sean Fitzgerald to make the game 10-3. All five of those runs came with two outs. The Irish picked up a run in the seventh on an RBI single from Bull and added two more on another Bull single in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough to catch up to the Wildcats.     The Irish next take on Michigan on Tuesday at 5:35 p.m. at Frank Eck Stadium. Contact Isaac Lorton at ilorton@nd.edu  

The Observer

Jacobsen: Student athletes "paid" enough

By The Observer · Sunday, April 7, 2013

Do you know what I'm being paid to write this column? Go ahead, guess. It's nothing. Nada. The production assistant who made sure the correct jumble and crossword were placed in today's Observer is probably pretty close to that too. Students don't get paid to perform in university-sponsored plays or operas. Marching band members get food money when they travel to away games, but otherwise they wake up campus at 8 a.m. on football Saturdays for the fun of it. So you'll excuse me if I don't buy into the notion that college athletes are victims of exploitation just because they aren't getting a salary. For one thing, it's patently ridiculous to say student athletes aren't getting any sort of financial compensation for their time and talent. Ladies and gentlemen, that's what a college scholarship is. (Interestingly, I've never heard anyone complain about the exploitation of athletes in Division III or Ivy League competition, where athlete scholarships are not allowed.) An athletic scholarship is worth up to $200,000 plus the lifetime of increased earning potential that comes with a college degree. If that doesn't constitute fair payment, what exactly would? Perhaps "fair" would be a payment based on athletic department revenue. If that were the case, a lot of athletes would end up owing money to their ADs: in 2009, only 14 of the 120 FBS schools made a profit from their athletic programs. If college athletics is the big business that a lot of people claim it is, it isn't a very lucrative one.   Now I'm not claiming that everything is just as it should be in college sports. I would be the last one crying if we were to throw out the NCAA rulebook and start all over again. Until someone can explain why football players get goodie bags at bowl games but cross country runners lose their eligibility if they accept a prize offered for winning a summertime road race, I have no use for that organization. And I don't know if there are any other countries on earth where a football or basketball coach can be the best-paid public servant in a state or province. The solution, however, is not to pay football players so that their income is closer to that of their coaches, but to stop paying coaches millions of dollars. Perhaps Maryland would've been able to save several of the seven varsity programs terminated in 2012 if the Terps hadn't paid former football coach Ralph Friedgen $1.75 million a year even after he was fired. It's a thought. There are dozens of other reasons why paying college athletes is unneeded and unreasonable. Where is the money for these salaries coming from, especially for the 106 FBS programs already hemorrhaging money? It's unfair if a volleyball player gets paid the same as A.J. McCarron, since he brings in more money to his school. But pay them different amounts, and you've got a Title IX nightmare. A lot of non-athletes already complain about the perks that athletes get - do we really need to deepen that divide? And don't think a star running back will turn down a free car just because he's getting, say, 10 grand a year for football. But most importantly, student athletes shouldn't be paid because they're not professionals. They do not have to play in college. If they have the talent and desire, they could get paid to play basketball in Greece. They could be in Q-school or minor league baseball or the D-league. They could train for the Olympics or play pro tennis in Europe. I'm sure a football agent would bankroll a football player if he just wanted to train for a year before he was eligible for the draft. If they felt like they were not getting what they wanted out of their college experience, they could transfer or quit, just like I could stop writing for The Observer if I wanted to. But they continue to play for the same reasons the rest of us drop so much time on our activities: because we're learning things that might help us in our chosen professions. Because we're giving back to our school. Because we value the friends we've made along the way. And, most of all, because we genuinely enjoy it. Contact Vicky Jacobsen at vjacobse@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.  

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