July 18, 2005

NOTRE DAME 3, HICKORY GRILLE 2

HERMITAGE -- Pitching and defense vaulted Notre Dame (8-6) to a 3-2 home win over Hickory Grille (10-4) Monday night at Notre Dame. Mark Connors fired a complete game to earn the victory, benefiting from strong defense and timely hitting.

Bill Hogue homered and helped preserve the win with an outstanding defensive play with two outs in the top of the seventh. Notre Dame jumped on the board on Ray Delgross' two-run triple in the third. Hickory Grille trailed 3-1 entering the seventh before cutting the lead in half. Chuck Joseph took the hard-luck defeat for Hickory Grille.