Weather Remained Cool but Notre Dame’s Igou Got Hot

It was chilly and overcast throughout Wednesday’s Mission League showdown between Notre Dame and Alemany highs and Rich Igou, who pitched a complete game for the Knights, says the weather affected him.

In the beginning, anyway.

The senior left-hander gave up five hits and four runs in the first inning, but only two hits and one run thereafter as host Notre Dame rallied to win, 7-5.

“It was an odd day to throw because it was real cold,” said Igou, who improved to 7-2. He struck out six and walked three.

“I started off slow, but I really didn’t expect them to hit the way they did.”

Robbie Rehfeld smacked Igou’s first pitch to center for a single and Jaime Tyson followed with a single to left. Monie Jensen’s infield single loaded the bases.

The cleanup hitter, Jon Tucker, did just that, ripping an 0-and-2 pitch over the right-field fence, and Alemany had a 4-0 lead before a man was retired.

Notre Dame (14-4, 8-1 in league play) scored five times in the fourth to take the lead. Ed Romero’s single drove in Justin Bunch, then Chris Crowley scored on a throwing error to cut the Alemany lead in half. Ryan Benner’s RBI double was followed by Jabbar Craigwell’s squeeze bunt that scored Romero. Joey Orlando singled home Benner for the last run of the inning.

“They got some momentum and there they went,” Alemany Coach Jim Ozella said. “I knew the ballgame wasn’t over after the first inning. Igou is a veteran pitcher and he’s pitched in big ballgames before.”

Bunch, who went two for three, led off the fifth with a home run to left.

Craigwell repeated in the sixth, blasting reliever Fred Perez’s fastball to almost the same spot.

“We really battled back and that was very tough to do after that first inning,” Notre Dame Coach Tom Dill said. “We were really frustrated but we were patient and it paid off.”

Alemany (15-7, 6-3) scored its last run in the seventh inning when Tucker’s sacrifice fly drove in Rehfeld. “I thought we swung the bats well all day,” Ozella said.

“We came out and we competed and I’m happy for that.”

Junior Dan Arguello (3-4) took the loss, giving up 11 hits and five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.