Notre Dame softball won one of three games this weekend against the Virginia Cavaliers. They lost the first game 9-2, won the second game 10-3 and lost the third game 6-3.
Game One
Neither team scored in the first, fourth or sixth innings, but Virginia jumped ahead in the second inning scoring three runs. The Irish responded in the bottom of the inning by putting one run of their own on the board, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers scored three more runs in the third inning to make the score 6-1. In the fifth inning, the Cavaliers put up two runs in the top half while the Irish added one in the bottom half, making the score 8-2. The Cavaliers put up one more run in the seventh inning to secure a 9-2 victory.
The Irish totaled just four hits in this game. Junior shortstop Anna Holloway hit a double for the Irish, while freshman second baseman Addison Amaral, sophomore center fielder Mickey Winchell and senior first baseman Karina Gaskins all reached base on singles. Holloway and junior left fielder Emily Tran drove in one run each for the Irish.
Graduate student Alexis Laudenslager started in the circle for the Irish, throwing 2.2 innings. Laudenslager allowed six hits, had six earned runs and struck out five. Sophomore Micaela Kastor entered as relief, pitching 2.1 innings. Kastor allowed four hits, two earned runs and struck out one. Freshman Kami Kamzik finished the game for the Irish in the circle, throwing two innings allowing a hit, one unearned run and had a total of four strikeouts.
Game Two
Despite the loss in the first game, the Irish were able to make a comeback in the second game with a 10-3 victory over Virginia.
Junior Shannon Becker started in the circle for the Irish, pitching a complete game. Becker allowed seven hits, three earned runs and struck out two. This dominant performance earned Becker her sixth win of the season.
Both teams scored in the first inning, each putting up two runs. Neither team scored in the second, fourth or seventh innings. Notre Dame added on two more runs in the third inning, making the score 4-2. In the fifth inning, both teams scored one run to make the score 5-3 in favor of the Irish. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Irish added on five more runs for themselves, making the final score 10-3.
Amaral led the Irish in the batter's box with a 3-for-4. She added four RBIs, scored two runs and notched another double, leading the team with 12 on the season. Senior designated player Mac Vasquez added to the Irish offense with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 in the box and scoring once herself. Senior third baseman Cassidy Grimm, senior catcher Carlli Kloss, junior utility Rachel Allen, Tran and Winchell also added hits of their own to help the Irish.
Gaskins shined in the box with a homerun, marking this the third consecutive season that she has homered on Strike Out Cancer Weekend. Gaskins also drew a walk, setting the program record of 42 walks drawn in a season.
Game Three
Kastor started in the circle for the Irish in the final game against the Cavaliers, pitching the first three innings. She had a total of two hits allowed, gave up three unearned runs and pitched two strikeouts. Laudenslager entered the circle in the fourth inning for the Irish, allowing two hits, two unearned runs and had two strikeouts. Becker entered the circle in the fifth inning. She allowed 3 hits and one earned run.
Neither team scored in the first or second innings of the game, but both teams were able to put one run on the board for themselves in the third inning, making the score 1-1. Virginia added four runs in the fourth inning, as well as one run in the top of the fifth, but Notre Dame responded by adding two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 6-3. With neither team scoring in the sixth or seventh, the Cavaliers held on to win with a final score of 6-3.
Western Michigan Preview
The Irish, now 22-14 on the season, look ahead to their next game against Western Michigan (17-15, 6-5 MAC) this coming Tuesday, April 9. Last year, the game between the Irish and Broncos was canceled, so the last time these two teams faced off was on March 16, 2022, when the Irish took the 7-2 win.
Some of the offensive leaders for the Broncos include Riley Dittmar and Payton Kelly. Dittmar leads the team with a batting average of .368. Kelly follows closely with a batting average of .344.
Rissa Bajusz leads the way in the circle for the Broncos with a total of 141 strikeouts in 21 appearances this season.
The Irish will face Western Michigan this upcoming Tuesday, April 9, at 4:30 p.m. at Melissa Cook Stadium.
