Trailing 6-0 after four-and-a-half innings, Notre Dame (29-19, 13-10) scored four times in the fifth, once in the eighth and twice in the ninth to claim a 7-6 victory over the Big East's No. 1 team, South Florida (30-19, 17-6), Saturday afternoon at windswept Frank Eck Stadium.

The victory was Notre Dame's second in a row against the visiting Bulls, who fell into a tie in the loss column with Louisville while the Irish took sole possession of fifth place—one game behind fourth-place St. John's.

Jeremy Barnes' based-loaded walk on four pitches pushed across pinch-runner Ryne Intlekofer with the winning run after A.J. Pollock singled to tie the game at 6-6 and Golden Tate was intentionally walked.

The winning rally began when first baseman Ryan Connolly was plunked by a pinch to start the ninth. After Connolly advanced to second on a wild pitch and Cameron McConnell grounded out, Evan Sharpley—pinch-hitting for Greg Sherry—drew a walk. Pollock then singled in Connolly before Tate's intentional walk and Barnes' game-winning base on balls.

Senior lefthander Sam Elam (1-1), who has battled control issues throughout his collegiate career, picked up the victory in relief of sophomore righthander Brian Dupra, who allowed 11 hits and six runs (five earned) in 4 1/3 innings. Elam surrendered just two hits in 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball. He walked four and struck out four.

Barnes also ripped a two-run single in Notre Dame's four-run fifth and smacked a leadoff home run in the eighth—his ninth of the season—to pull the Irish within a run.

South Florida took a 2-0 lead in the first, and then scored single runs in each of the next four frames to take a six-run lead. Three errors in the fourth inning, two by Connolly at first base, allowed the Bulls to take a 5-0 lead after three-and-a-half innings.

Pollock's two-run single in the fifth put the Irish on the board. Pollock finished with two hits and three RBI. McConnell, caught in a slump in recent weeks, also had two hits, as did Barnes.

South Florida leftfielder Junior Carlin had three hits. Derrick Stultz (5-3) was tagged with the loss.

Notre Dame shoots for a sweep and perhaps a share of fourth place Sunday when junior righthander Eric Maust (5-2, 4.81) squares off against junior righthander Shawn Sanford.

(Editor's note: Notre Dame's sports information department contributed to this report.)