NCAA History NCAA Tournament History 1949 (0-2), at University of Notre Dame 1R – Wake Forest 4, Notre Dame 1 1R – Wake Forest 10, Notre Dame 7 1956 (1-2), at University of Minnesota DP – Notre Dame 4, Minnesota 3 DP – Minnesota 15, Notre Dame 5 DP – Minnesota 10, Notre Dame 1 1957 (5-3), CWS Participant at Western Michigan University and Rosenblatt Stadium (Omaha, Neb.) DP – Notre Dame 18, Alma 2 DP – Notre Dame 4, W. Michigan 2 DP – Northwestern 9, Notre Dame 2 DP – Notre Dame 6, Northwestern 1 1R – * Iowa St. 13, Notre Dame 8 (10) 2R – * Notre Dame 23, Colorado St. 2 3R – * Notre Dame 9, Texas 0 4R – * Penn State 5, Notre Dame 4 1958 (2-2), at Western Michigan University DP – Valparaiso 2, Notre Dame 0 DP – Notre Dame 11, Minnesota 7 DP – Notre Dame 10, Valparaiso 4 DP – Western Michigan 5, Notre Dame 4 1959 (2-2), at University of Notre Dame DP – Notre Dame 10, Detroit 0 DP – Notre Dame 12, Minnesota 4 DP – Western Michigan 2, Notre Dame 0 DP – Western Michigan 9, Notre Dame 6 1960 (0-2), at University of Minnesota DP – Minnesota 15, Notre Dame 6 DP – Ohio Univ. 5, Notre Dame 4 1963 (1-2), at University of Illinois DP – Western Michigan 2, Notre Dame 1 DP – Notre Dame 5, Valparaiso 2 DP – Illinois 4, Notre Dame 0 1970 (1-2), at Ohio State University DP – Southern Illinois 10, Notre Dame 2 DP – Notre Dame 6, Minnesota 2 DP – Southern Illinois 1, Notre Dame 0 1989 – West II Regional (1-2), at Fresno State Fresno State 9, Notre Dame 8 Notre Dame 8, Portland 6 (13) Fresno State 11, Notre Dame 4 1992 – Atlantic Regional (3-2), at Miami South Carolina 5, Notre Dame 1 Notre Dame 6, Miami 3 Notre Dame 12, Delaware 6 Notre Dame 11, South Carolina 2 CG2 – Miami 5, Notre Dame 1
IRISH MAKE THEIR MARK IN NCAAS
Highlights include CWS trips in 1957 and 2002. While the first 50 years of varsity Notre Dame baseball were brimming with future major-leaguers and innovators, the next 60-plus seasons have seen Irish baseball emerge as a respected and regular participant in the NCAA Championship. The Irish advanced to the NCAAs 14 times during the 1900s (and again from 2000-06), with a 41-44 overall NCAA record, trips to the 1957 and 2002 College World Series – and near-misses on trips to Omaha in 1992 and ’93. Notre Dame made its NCAA debut in 1949, winning the district playoffs with a 1-0 victory at Purdue and a 9-1 home win over Western Michigan. The Irish – who were led in ’49 by first baseman Dick Gieldin’s .350 batting average – played host to Wake Forest in an NCAA Region B series, but the Demon Deacons advanced with 4-1 and 10-7 wins and went on to finish as runner-up to Texas in the College World Series. The Irish returned to the NCAAs in ’56, at Minnesota for a District Four series. Notre Dame opened with a 4-3 win but the Gophers won the next two (15-5, 10-1) and went on to claim the CWS title, with a 15-1 win over Arizona. After being eliminated by the CWS runnerup and champion in its first two NCAA appearances, Notre Dame returned in ’57 to post one of the finest seasons in the program’s history. With most of its players back from ’56 – including All-America catcher Elmer Kohorst, clutch-hitting leftfielder Bob Senecal, strikeout thrower Tom Bujnowski and fellow righthander Chuck Symeon – the Irish posted an 11-7 regularseason record before winning the NCAA District Four tournament at Western Michigan. Notre Dame began its march to Omaha with wins over Alma (18-2) and the host Broncos (4-2) but lost to Northwestern (9-2). The Irish and Wildcats faced off again the next day and a 6-1 Notre Dame win sent the Irish on to the College World Series, where they won games over Colorado State (23-2, still a CWS record for runs in a game) and Texas (9-0, led by Symeon’s
Jim Morris established a still-standing College World Series record for batting average (10-for-14, in ’57).
five-hit gem) while losing to Iowa State (138) and eventual runner-up Penn State (5-4). Infielder Jim Morris hit 10-for-14 to establish a still-standing CWS batting average record (.714). The Irish advanced to the NCAAs the next three seasons, with an 11-7 win over Minnesota, a split with Valparaiso and a 5-4 loss to host Western Michigan in ’58. WMU beat the Irish twice in the ’59 NCAAs – in South Bend (wins over Detroit and Minnesota) – while Minnesota and Ohio University ended Notre Dame’s season in 1960, with the Gophers claiming another NCAA crown. Top Irish hitters in the late 1950s included Morris, second baseman Dick Selcer and outfielder Gene Duffy, with the talented mound corps led by Symeon, strikeout-throwing lefty Frank Carpin, Nick Palihnich and Jack Mitchell (who still own some of the top season ERAs in Irish history). The 1963 season brought an NCAA trip to Illinois, with losses to Western Michigan (2-1) and the host Illini (4-0) sandwiched around a win over Valparaiso (5-2). Notre Dame then had
1993 – East Regional (3-2), at Florida State Notre Dame 15, Mississippi State 1 Florida State 7, Notre Dame 3 (10) Notre Dame 12, Central Florida 3 Notre Dame 4, Florida State 3 Long Beach State 13, Notre Dame 3 1994 – East Regional (2-2), at Clemson Old Dominion 9, Notre Dame 5 Notre Dame 8, Clemson 1 Notre Dame 5, The Citadel 1 CG1 – Auburn 8, Notre Dame 0
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Notre Dame’s 1949 NCAA Tournament team
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