Crespi Has 3 Hits, 9 Errors, No Chance in 12-3 Setback

Crespi’s baseball team couldn’t do anything right in Wednesday’s 12-3 Mission League loss to Notre Dame at Valley College.

The Celts went through five pitchers and changed their batting order, but nothing could compensate for sloppy defense and lack of offense.

Crespi (12-6-1, 4-3) committed nine errors and managed only three hits off Notre Dame left-hander Rich Igou, who pitched a complete game and improved to 5-2.

“We’ve got holes in our game and when you find them we’re in a lot of trouble and they found them all today,” Crespi Coach Scott Muckey said. “It kind of makes you wonder how we won 12 (games) this season.”

Notre Dame (12-4, 6-1) scored in each of the first six innings. The Knights had 11 hits, seven off starter Sam Clemons (5-3), who gave up six earned runs in three innings.

“We really hit the ball well today and we haven’t been lately,” Notre Dame Coach Tom Dill said.

“Things couldn’t have gone better for us as far as swinging the bat.”

Notre Dame outfielder Justin Bunch went three for four with two runs batted in and Ryan Benner went two for three with two RBIs. Joey Orlando also had two RBIs.

The Knights opened the scoring in the first when Bunch drove in Orlando with a single to center field.

Notre Dame scored two more in the second and four in a lengthy third inning.

Allen Jerkens singled home Jon Lichterman and Ryan Benner’s triple to center drove in Chris Crowley.

Notre Dame got its last two runs of the inning on Crespi errors.

The Knights scored solo runs in the fourth and fifth, capping their scoring with a three-run sixth.

“(Clemons) was not getting any help out there,” Muckey said.

“I don’t think he was totally on, but we might have been in it if he got some help.”

Crespi got all its hits and its second run in the fourth inning, which included singles by Rich Gonzalez and Brad Farlow and an RBI double by Mike Glendenning.

The Celts’ other runs resulted from an error in the second inning and a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.