Notre Dame wrapped up its 2008 non-conference slate with a 6-0 win at Valparaiso Tuesday.
The Irish (35-17-1 overall, 12-6 Big East) were led by a stellar performance in the circle from junior hurler Brittney Bargar. The Corona, Calif. native pitched a complete game shutout, and improved her record on the season to 27-10, giving up only three hits and striking out 11 in the process,
It took the Irish a while to get their offense on track, earning only one hit over the first four innings. In the fifth, though, the Notre Dame bats found their spark. With two outs in the top of the frame, freshman right fielder Beth Jorgensborg started the rally with a single through the ride side of the infield. After freshman catcher Erin Marrone and junior designated hitter Beth Northway also singled, Jorgensborg came around to score, putting the Irish up 1-0.
Even though the one run was all Bargar needed, the Irish added to the lead in the next inning. Forcing out Crusader starter Andrea Zappia for reliever Jill Jacobsen, Notre Dame scored three more runs in the sixth., two of them courtesy of a two-out, two-RBI Jorgenson single.
Zappia returned to pitch the seventh, but it was to no avail, as Notre Dame added two more runs to its lead in the final inning. Northway started off the inning with a double, and was driven in by a Katie Fleury single up the middle. Fleury later scored on senior second baseman Katie Laing's groundout to second, giving the Irish their 6-0 margin of victory.
Northway finished 3-for-3 with the double, a run, and an RBI.
