NOTRE DAME, Ind. (May 2, 2007) – Franklin College won’t have much trouble deciding which victory this baseball season was the biggest.

Not after the Grizzlies knocked off the Fighting Irish in a 4-3 thriller at Division I University of Notre Dame this evening. Franklin scored two runs in both the first and second innings and made those stand as Grizzlies pitcher Dustin Eck made a name for himself in the Irish’s Frank Eck Stadium.

The senior left-hander pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs, and improved to 6-4. Eck gave way to junior righty Andy Clark, who entered the game in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and no outs. Though ND scored runs on a double play and an error, Clark prevented the Irish from tying the game en route to his second save.

The Grizzlies, who totaled 10 hits, scored in the first on a two-run double by senior catcher Ryan East and added two more runs in the second when senior outfielder Lance LaBonte sprinted home from third base on a double steal and Lance Noel singled in a run – on the second of five singles produced by the freshman outfielder.

The Irish, which had eight hits, scored its first run in the second on a sacrifice fly by catcher Ryan Smith. In the eighth, shortstop Brett Lilley crossed the plate on a double play and third baseman A.J. Pollock scored on a fielding error.

Franklin, which was 4-8 on the road coming in, improved to 22-14 overall while Notre Dame dropped to 25-20 in all contests. The Irish were 14-5 at home and had won nine of its last 11 contests prior to this evening’s game. ND starting pitcher Andrew Scheid (0-1) took the loss.

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