Notre Dame Rides Swing on a Short Porch : High school baseball: Supple’s home run over 240-foot fence provides cushion in 9-5 victory over host Chaminade.

A pitchers’ duel at Chaminade High? Not likely.

Notre Dame’s 9-5 Mission League victory Saturday against Chaminade seemed as if it would be a rare, low-scoring game in the Eagles’ oddly configured ballpark--until the seventh inning.

“This field will normally become a factor at some point in the game,” Chaminade Coach Dave Desmond said. “It works to our advantage most of the time.

“Sometimes it doesn’t.”

Like against unbeaten Notre Dame (7-2, 2-0 in the league). The Knights, ranked No. 2 in The Times Valley poll, held a 3-1 lead after six innings. Nevertheless, right-hander Joel Orme (1-1) was pitching effectively for Chaminade.

But with two out and the bases empty in the seventh, the Knights rallied with a single, a walk and two more singles, scoring two runs to increase their lead to 5-1. Mike Haugh replaced Orme and promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing another run, and a walk.

Dave Supple followed with a three-run home run to right-center field to give Notre Dame a 9-1 lead.

The right-field fence at Chaminade is marked 240 feet from home plate and is 40 feet high. The dimensions are 355 feet to center and 280 down the left-field line. “It changes the game,” Notre Dame Coach Tom Dill said. “Supple’s ball would have been a long out (in another park).”

The Knights were not laughing for long at the short dimensions, though. Chaminade (2-5, 0-2) scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, including two singles off the right-field fence. “I think it is great for left-handed hitters but I don’t think they should play games here,” said left-hander Chris Garza, Notre Dame’s starting pitcher. He also had three hits and two runs batted in.

The dimensions were not totally to blame for the seventh-inning outbursts. Both pitchers probably were tiring in the heat.”(Orme) did a great job for six innings keeping us in the ballgame,” Desmond said. “That’s about as good a performance as we’ve had all season. You want to stick with him.”

As for Garza, Dill said he had thrown only about 85 pitches through six innings. Garza, who has signed with Nevada, allowed two hits and his only two walks in the seventh before being relieved by Rich Igou.

“I felt like I was cruising, but the layoff (in the top of the seventh) really hurt,” said Garza said, who struck out eight and allowed five hits in the game. “I was tired, but I wanted the complete game.”