Feb. 22, 1997

Thundering Trojan Bats Trample Irish

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Second-ranked USC pounded out 13 hits, including home runs by freshman catcher Eric Munson and junior third baseman Morgan Ensberg, en route to a 14-4 victory over Notre Dame in the Beach Baseball Classic Saturday night at Blair Field.

The Trojans, who have won seven games in a row, raise their record to 15-3, while the Fighting Irish drop to 0-2.

Ensberg's two-run shot in the third inning gave USC a 6-0 lead. Munson, who was taken to the hospital during yesterday's game with Mississippi after being hit in the head by a bat on a batter's backswing, returned today to go 3-for-5, including his two-run homer in the seventh inning.

Senior righthander Scott Henderson went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out four in raising his record to 4-1. Senior lefthander Greg Henebry took the loss, allowing six runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The Beach Baseball Classic concludes tomorrow with Mississippi facing Notre Dame at noon and USC taking on Long Beach State at 4 p.m.

USC 14, Notre Dame 4
USC           132 003 311 -- 14 13 1
Notre Dame    000 211 000 --  4  8 4
Henderson, Immel (7), Krawczyk (9) and Munson. Henebry, Balicki (3),
Shilliday (5) and Wagner, Knoche. WP:  Henderson (4-1).
LP: Henebry (0-1). HR: Munson (USC), Ensberg (USC),
Scholl (ND).