Between Friday and Sunday, Notre Dame softball opened the 2025 season with six games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. The Irish dropped each of the first three contests but rallied to finish 3-3 ahead of next weekend’s trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Notre Dame 4, Morgan State 5
The first inning of Notre Dame’s season certainly could have gone better for the Irish. After leaving the bases loaded on a flyout by sophomore utility player Sydny Poeck in the top half, the Irish gave up three runs before recording a second out. Each run was charged to senior right-hander Shannon Becker, who conceded singles to four of the first five hitters she faced before departing. Sophomore right-hander Kami Kamzik relieved her and, despite walking four, kept the Irish in the game by twirling four scoreless innings.
Notre Dame would pay off her work by tying the game with a three-run fifth. Poeck started the Irish scoring with a single to left, plating two runs with the help of a Morgan State error. Senior catcher Rachel Allen then evened the ledger with a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Addison Amaral delivered a clutch, go-ahead double with two outs to pull the Irish into a 4-3 lead. However, Morgan State answered right back, scoring twice against graduate right-hander Alexis Laudenslager on a bunt single and error to claim the 5-4 lead and eventual 5-4 win.
Notre Dame 4, Kentucky 12
The Irish would get going early in game two on Friday, scoring twice in the top of the first on an Amaral single. However, the opponent yet again knocked out Notre Dame’s starting pitcher before she recorded an out, as Kentucky tallied eight runs in the first, including six against junior right-hander Micaela Kastor. After freshman left-hander Brianne Weiss and Kamzik combined to pull the Irish out of the inning, Kentucky tacked on two more runs in the second to lead 10-2.
In the fourth, Notre Dame pulled back within six on a two-run single by freshman utility player Caroline O’Brien, her first collegiate hit. Kentucky would score in each of the next two frames against Becker, ending the game by mercy rule after five innings.
Notre Dame 2, Tennessee 10
Another SEC team blitzed Notre Dame to start Saturday’s action, as Tennessee tagged Laudenslager for eight runs before she recorded a seventh out. Right fielder Taylor Pannell ended a four-run second inning with a two-run home run, setting the table for four more Volunteer runs in the third. In the meantime, Notre Dame scored its only two runs of the game in the top of the third, as O’Brien and Amaral made out to drive teammates home.
Like Kentucky, Tennessee plated a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to finish the game in five innings. Volunteer pitchers Erin Nuwer and Peyton Tanner combined to toss all five of those frames without an earned run.
Missouri 3, Notre Dame 4
As Notre Dame’s starting pitching finally settled, the Irish captured their first win of the season on Saturday evening. Kastor hurled a 115-pitch complete game, striking out seven while conceding three earned runs. The Irish gave her run support right away, as freshman infielder Kaia Cortes singled home O’Brien in the bottom of the first. However, Missouri took the lead in the middle innings as Madison Walker homered in the fourth and Mya Dodge stole home in the fifth.
The Irish, who outhit Missouri 11-3, responded right away with a leadoff Poeck double in the bottom of the fifth. Senior utility player Jane Kronenberger eventually brought her home with two away, singling to right. The Tigers reclaimed the lead with a run-scoring single of their own in the top of the sixth. Notre Dame then missed a golden opportunity to tie the game with two runners in scoring position and nobody out, heading to the seventh inning down 3-2.
After a quick top half of the seventh, the Irish again put the leadoff hitter aboard with an Amaral single. With one out, Kronenberger stepped up with one big hit already to her name. Ready for a 1-1 pitch on the inner half of the plate, Kronenberger turned on the ball and sent it over the left-field fence for a two-run, walk-off home run. The swing completely changed the fate of not only the game, but Notre Dame’s weekend in Clearwater.
Penn State 2, Notre Dame 4
Looking to mirror the success Notre Dame football had against Penn State in Florida, the Irish once more started fast with a two-run first inning on Sunday. Amaral and Cortes each struck singles, getting them out to an early advantage. The lead would double in the third, as junior utility player Paige Cowley and junior outfielder Mickey Winchell each brought in a run.
Penn State would close in again with two runs in the top of the fourth, setting up another tight finish. On the other side, Kamzik pitched into the seventh inning, seeking another Irish complete game. Though she conceded a leadoff single in the seventh to bring the tying run to the dish, Kamzik induced a double play to clear the basepaths. After that, she struck out her sixth of the game on pitch number 117 to seal the win.
Bethune-Cookman 0, Notre Dame 1
Notre Dame pitching had its best day yet to close out the weekend, shutting out Bethune-Cookman on just two hits. Kastor, Laudenslager and Becker combined to punch out seven while walking only three, out dueling opposing hurler Halyne Gonzalez. The Irish needed a single run and found it in the third on Amaral’s sixth run batted in of the weekend. Becker would later finish the job with a scoreless seventh inning, pushing Notre Dame back to .500 at the weekend’s conclusion.
