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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

Irish, Demons rained out

Notre Dame's doubleheader against No. 18/14 DePaul, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, was postponed until April 29 to be played in Cacciatore Stadium in Chicago. This marks the second time this season the two teams have had to cancel a doubleheader due to inclement weather. The Irish (19-13, 8-0 Big East) and Blue Demons remain the only undefeated teams in conference play, and their set of games could be crucial once the Big East championships start.The Irish, however, have to focus on a pair doubleheaders this weekend at conference rivals Providence and Connecticut.On Saturday, Notre Dame will face the Friars in Providence, R.I., at 12 p.m. Providence is currently ranked ninth in the Big East with a 3-7 conference record to go with a 14-14 overall mark.Against Providence, Notre Dame will face senior pitcher Sara Surosky, who is 7-8 with a 2.87 ERA and freshman Danielle Bertolette, who has a 3-3 mark with a 3.05 ERA.On the offensive side, senior catcher Rachel Bartholomew is the Friars' main threat with a .405 batting average and a team-leading seven home runs and 31 RBIs. Notre Dame will then travel to Storrs, Conn., to face the Huskies, who currently occupy seventh place in the Big East with a 4-5 conference record. The Huskies are 15-15 overall.Huskies freshman pitcher Tricia Sullivan will take the mound with a 5-5 mark and 3.82 ERA. Also, the Irish expect to see senior hurler Krista Michalczyk, who has a 7-5 record to go along with a 4.31 ERA.Sophomore utility player Jillian Ortega is the main offensive threat for the Huskies, batting .358 with 23 RBIs. Senior catcher Holly Calcagno can also do damage at the dish with her .342 average and five home runs. Notre Dame's pitching staff will rely heavily on its pitching staff, especially sophomore Brittney Bargar, who has a 12-7 record to compliment a 1.94 ERA. Senior Kenya Fuemmeler has also been solid, compiling a 7-6 record and 2.58 ERA. Irish senior outfielder Stephanie Brown brings a nine-game hitting streak into this weekend's contests. She also boasts a .472 average and has scored 25 runs this season.