FRESNO, Calif. (March 15) -- Despite 12-hit offensive performance and a complete-game effort from starting pitcher Judd Richardson (Caledon, Ontario/Country Day), Miami University's bid for an upset fell just short in a 3-2 11-inning loss to No. 8 Notre Dame.

Miami's leadoff hitter reached base in each of the last four innings, but the RedHawks were unable to plate the go-ahead run. On the other hand, Notre Dame managed only one hit off Richardson in the game's last four frames, but notched the winning run in the 11th when Irish catcher Andrew Bushey's high pop-up fell just past a drawn-in infield to bring the winning run home.

Miami, which is 2-4 on its stint in Fresno, has lost all four games in the opponent's final at-bat.

As has become the recent trend, Miami (5-8) claimed an early advantage by scoring a run in the first inning. Clark Mace's (London, Ohio/Madison Plains) RBI groundout marked the fifth time in its six games in Fresno that the RedHawks have tallied a run in the first.

After Notre Dame (11-2-1) tied the game in the second, Mace recaptured the lead with a towering home run to right center, his third blast of the year.

From there, Richardson went to work. In only his third-career start, the sophomore allowed ten hits and three runs over a career-high 10.1 innings. Before tossing seven innings in a 2-1 win over Fresno State last Saturday, Richardson's career high had been just 2.2 innings.

However, Miami was unable to take advantage of its opportunities to take the lead in the final four innings of the game, leaving four runners on base and having another caught stealing.

The loss was the first in the Red and White's all-time series with Notre Dame, dropping to 11-1 versus the Irish. Miami fell to 1-3 at the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic, while Notre Dame upped its tourney record to 3-0-1.

Miami continues Pepsi/Johnny Quik action Friday versus New Mexico. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. (PST).