By Mike Monaco for the South Bend Cubs

SOUTH BEND – Less than 24 hours after arriving to town from spring training in Arizona, the South Bend Cubs topped the University of Notre Dame, 5-3, in a seven-inning exhibition game Tuesday night at a chilly Four Winds Field.

After three hitless and scoreless innings for both teams, South Bend punched across a run in the fourth, only for Notre Dame to counter and tie the game 1-1 in the fifth. But the Cubs broke out the bats in the bottom of the fifth. Cubs left-fielder Charcer Burks laced a single to center field to plate Trey Martin, and right fielder Jeffrey Baez smacked a two-run single down the third-base line later in the frame to vault South Bend ahead 4-1.

Burks added another RBI single to again score Martin in the sixth inning. The Fighting Irish threatened with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but the Cubs held on for the victory.

South Bend struck in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Justin Marra to score third baseman Jesse Hodges. But Notre Dame countered in the top of the fifth, loading the bases and chasing South Bend starter Trevor Clifton from the game. Cubs left-handed reliever Tyler Ihrig walked the first batter he faced, and Notre Dame tied the game, 1-1.

Clifton dazzled on the hill with three perfect innings and six strikeouts to start the night. The right-hander pounded the zone with a fastball in the low 90s and deftly mixed in his off-speed pitches. Clifton, Chicago’s 12th-round pick in 2013, went 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 2014 with short-season Boise en route to Northwest League All-Star honors.

After grabbing his seventh strikeout to start the fourth inning, Clifton allowed his first base-runner to reach when he clipped Notre Dame outfielder Conor Biggio with a 3-0 offering. Two batters later, Notre Dame shortstop Phil Mosey legged out an infield single for the first hit for either side. Clifton escaped the jam, stranding runners at first and second.

Hodges collected South Bend’s first hit in the bottom of the fourth inning, cracking a single through the hole into left field. After moving up to third, Hodges scored later in the inning on the sacrifice fly to left field from Marra.

Clifton couldn’t dance around trouble in the fifth inning. After walking two and tossing a wild pitch, Ihrig replaced Clifton with two outs and the bases loaded. The Fighting Irish evened the score at 1-1 by drawing another walk, but Ihrig avoided further damage. Clifton finished with nine strikeouts in 4.2 IP, surrendering just two hits.

The Cubs did load the bases in the top of the first inning, drawing three walks against Notre Dame starting pitcher Kyle Rubbinaccio. With two outs, Cubs 18-year old shortstop Gleyber Torres climbed into the box. After working the count full, Rubbinaccio induced a groundout to end the threat.

South Bend opens the 2015 season Thursday when it hosts the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the first of three games at Four Winds Field. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.