Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2017 17 UNDER THE DOME 70 Years Ago: June 8‑11, 1957 For the first time ever, Notre Dame competes in the eight-team College World Series held in Omaha, Neb. Head coach Jake Kline — who would hold that position with the Fighting Irish from 1934-75 while also teaching math — sees his team drop a 13-8 deci- sion to Ohio State in the first game, but stays alive in the double-elimination format with a 23-2 rout of Colorado State. The victory versus the Rams remains a CWS record for most runs scored by one team in a game. Then on June 10, Notre Dame pitcher Chuck Symeon shuts out Texas while allowing only five hits in a 9-0 victory. However, the run to the national title ends with a 5-4 loss to Penn State the next day. Irish infielder Jim Morris collects 10 hits in 14 at bats during Notre Dame's four-game run. His .714 batting average also remains a CWS record. 15 Years Ago: June 10, 2002 For the first time in 45 years, Notre Dame advances to the College World Series after stunning No. 1 Florida State 3-1 to take the best-of-three Super Re- gional held in Tallahassee, Fla. The Irish advanced to the Super Re- gional by defeating Ohio State twice and then crushing No. 1 seed South Alabama 25-1 in the South Bend Re- gional. Head coach Paul Mainieri's team is led by the hitting of the "S Troop" — Steve Sollman, Steve Stanley, Brian Stavisky and Javier Sanchez — but the standout in the South Bend Regional and Super Regional is Kris Billmaier, who bats a torrid .615. Freshman pitchers Grant Johnson and Chris Niesel earn the two wins at Florida State, which had won 25 consecutive contests entering the Super Regional. The head coach since 2007 at LSU, which he has led to four CWS and the 2009 national title, Mainieri told his Notre Dame players prior to the trip to FSU that they had the likely overconfident Seminoles "right where we want them." In the eight-team College World Series, Notre Dame loses to Stanford in the first round, defeats Rice in game two to stay alive and then is eliminated by the Cardinal. 5 Years Ago: June 2012 After five consecutive seasons of losing at least five games, including back-to-back 8-5 campaigns under third-year head coach Brian Kelly, Notre Dame is left out of almost every preseason top-25 prognostication in 2012. The Irish also were on the verge of tying the school record of six straight years of not finishing ranked, which was set from 1981-86. SI.com doesn't even place them in the top 30. ESPN.com actually had Notre Dame No. 24 — but then dropped them out of the rankings after Freshman All-American de- fensive end Aaron Lynch's decision to transfer to South Florida. Plus, Notre Dame graduated the top two players on the 2011 roster, first-round picks Michael Floyd (receiver) and Harrison Smith (safety). Athlon Sports is the most optimistic when it ranks Notre Dame No. 20 with the usual "year away" caveat. Wrote Athlon Sports: "The 2012 campaign will go a long way toward determining how good the Irish can be in 2013-14. There are too many holes/question marks to look at this season as anything but a transition year under Kelly." — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: June BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 • Durham, NC 27702 1-800-421-7751 Visit our online store! www.BlueGoldOnline.com Delivery limited to continental U.S. Please Add Sales Tax For Items Shipping To: (NC 7.5%, IN 7%, MI 6%) Notre Dame CLEARANCE LIMITED QUANTITIES Offer Good While Supply Lasts Item #6601 Leprechaun Logo Black Background Fits 2" Receiver Magazine Binders Item #6099 $24.95 + $6.50 S&H CLEARANCE Limited Supply FREE S&H! #6270 Onesie Romper $12.95 #6271 Onesie Dress $14.95 #6272 Bib $7.95 #6273 Football Onesie & Cap Set $18.95 Future Tailgater Collection Chrome Hitch $31.95 (Free S&H) Jim Morris' .714 batting average (10 of 14) in the 1957 College World Series remains a record for the event. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS