Notre Dame softball made history on Sunday night, tying their first game since April 24, 2008 in a 0-0 stalemate against Syracuse. The weather delay-induced draw left the squad’s weekend series against the Orange knotted with a 1-1-1 final record.
The first game of the series would prove to be the most comfortable for the Irish. Notre Dame rolled, with a pair of first-inning runs opening a strong outing by their bats. Graduate student pitcher Payton Tidd yielded two runs in the second, but that would be the extent of the damage on a day when the Irish ace was at her best.
Junior infielder Karina Gaskins’ third-inning home run sparked a run of offense that would give Notre Dame a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Tidd would add a couple of RBI in the third, part of a game-high four RBI outing.
The Irish continued pouring in offense in the fourth inning, plating three runs to put the game in run-rule range. It was the back end of Notre Dame’s order that did the damage, with Tidd, sophomore infielder Jane Kronenberger and freshman outfielder Mickey Winchell driving in the runs.
Tidd remained in the circle for the fifth inning, and the veteran finished her complete game without issue. A 1-2-3 inning ended the contest by run rule.
After a postponement due to blustery March weather, the series resumed on Sunday. Notre Dame, without the benefit of having their ace in the circle, couldn’t pick up where they left off.
Breakout freshman pitcher Micaela Kastor got the nod in the circle for game two. Kastor got off to a strong start, retiring the top of the Orange order in the first inning, but slipped in the third.
A home run by Tessa Galipeau gave Syracuse a 1-0 lead, one that would be pushed to 5-0 in the fourth inning. Sophomore Shannon Becker provided solid relief from the bullpen to salvage the inning, but the damage was done.
Graduate student infielder Lexi Orozco belted a two-run home run to give the Irish hope in the bottom half of the inning, and a single by senior outfielder Leea Hanks would push across one more in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough. Syracuse evened the series at one apiece to set up an afternoon rubber match.
Worthy of a series-deciding contest, the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader was the tightest of the three. Irish head coach Deanna Gumpf put Tidd back on the mound, and she dueled with Syracuse's Lindsey Hendrix in a classic.
With a 0-0 tie persisting through seven innings, the series seemed set for a cinematic climax. The lighting forecasted for the rest of the night disagreed. After a valiant effort to play the top of the eighth, the game was officially called at 7:30 p.m. The rubber match ended in a tie, as did the series.
Notre Dame softball will be back in action on Tuesday when they face off against IUPUI at Melissa Cook Stadium. First pitch will be at 5 p.m. and the game will be on ACC Network Extra.
