Notre Dame (35-13) got its revenge and then some Thursday night shutting out the University of Illinois-Chicago 8-0.
Carissa Jaquish had her best game of the season, going for 3-for-4 at the plate while driving in four RBI all on one hit - a grand-slam home run in the seventh inning.
The win made up for Notre Dame's earlier loss this season to Illinois-Chicago (24-20), and should help the team as it moves into a weekend that features two doubleheaders against Big East opponents on the road - Villanova on Saturday and Rutgers on Sunday.
Steffany Stenglein picked up the victory, allowing just three hits over six innings while striking out eight. Carrie Wisen pitched the seventh to complete the victory for the Irish.
Notre Dame took advantage of a Flames throwing error in the third to take an early three-run lead.
Nicole deFau walked to lead off the inning, and then stole second. Her stolen base was made irrelevant, however, Megan Ciolli walked as well to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Meghan Ruthrauff made it safe to first on a fielder's choice, while Ciolli was thrown out at second.
Ruthrauff advanced to second on a wild pitch, but deFau was forced to hold up at third on the play. Mallorie Lenn hit a groundball toward Illinois-Chicago's Alycia Creese, and she picked the ball up and threw toward home.
Creese's throw sailed wide and both deFau and Ruthrauff were able to score on the error and Lenn advanced to second on the play. After a groundout by Liz Hartmann advanced Lenn to third, Nicole Wicks singled to score the third run of the game as Lenn came home.
The Irish blew the game wide open in the seventh with Hartmann picking up an RBI double to score a run before Jaquish's grand-slam sealed the win for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame goes on the road to face Villanova Saturday in a key conference doubleheader.
The Wildcats currently lead the Big East with 18 points, while the Irish are tied for second with 16. However, those standings are misleading, because Villanova (25-16, 9-3 in the Big East) has played 12 Big East games compared to Notre Dame's (8-0 in the Big East) eight.
The Irish will finish their Big East weekend with a trip to New Jersey Sunday to face Rutgers (22-23, 5-7).
