HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team dropped the first of a pair of neutral site games against Notre Dame on Tuesday, falling to the Fighting Irish, 6-3, at Ting Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (4-7) took the lead in the top of the first, as Brett Callahan led off the game with a triple and scored on a double by Conlan Wall.  Two batters later, a Nate Thomas sacrifice fly brought Wall home to make it a 2-0 game.

• Notre Dame (7-6) tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a single by Carter Putz and a groundout by Nick Juaire.

• The Fighting Irish took the lead in the third on a solo home run by Putz, who then singled home a pair in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-2.

• Back-to-back doubles by Brandon Drapeau and Ryan Picollo with two down in the seventh brought the Hawks back within a pair, but a bases-loaded walk by Jack Penney in the bottom of the frame restored the three-run lead.

• The Hawks would get the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but the Irish were able to escape the jam and secure the win.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Luke Zimmerman got the start on the mound for SJU, allowing one earned run on one hit in two innings.  Frank Ciccone took the loss in relief, allowing a run on one hit in two innings as well.  Blake Hely earned the win, tossing four shutout innings in relief of Matt Bedford, who ceded two runs in his one inning of work,

• Putz led all hitters, going 3-for-4 with four runs batted in.  Justin Igoe reached twice for the Hawks with a pair of walks.

UP NEXT
The teams will wrap up the quick two-game set on Wednesday.  First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.