In its final weekend ahead of ACC play, Notre Dame softball competed at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California. There, the Irish defeated Cal State Fullerton and No. 23 San Diego State to go 2-3 and move to 10-10 on the year. Notre Dame also faced No. 4 UCLA, No. 6 LSU and No. 10 Arizona, taking losses but gaining quality experience against numerous Women’s College World Series contenders.
Notre Dame 2, UCLA 7
The Irish held a 2-1 lead at the midway point of their weekend opener on Thursday, as sophomore infielder Addison Amaral cranked a two-run home run in the third inning and sophomore right-hander Kami Kamzik was pitching fairly well though three. However, UCLA opened the floodgates with a five-run fourth inning, chasing Kamzik and taking control of the game. Kaitlyn Terry singled to bring home two runs, Jessica Clements homered to plate two more and Jordan Woolery tripled to drive in another one.
While Bruin reliever Addisen Fisher shut the Irish out across the game’s final 4.2 innings, Megan Grant added an insurance for UCLA with a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Notre Dame 5, Cal State Fullerton 2
Notre Dame responded in its Thursday finale, never trailing against the hosting Titans. Though both teams scored a run within the first two frames, the Irish pulled away on Amaral’s three-run blast to center in the third. Sophomore utility player Sydny Poeck followed up with her first collegiate home run, a solo job, to make it 5-1 in the fourth.
Meanwhile, junior right-hander Micaela Kastor made the hoke runs stand up with her second complete game of the season. The California native struck out seven and navigated 10 baserunners to make it through all seven frames. Leadoff-hitting senior outfielder Emily Tran also helped the Irish out throughout the game, going 3 for 3 with a wall and two runs scored.
LSU 10, Notre Dame 0
The Tigers took Notre Dame right out of Friday’s Irish opener, plating eight runs before making an out. After graduate starting pitcher Alexis Laudenslager departed, McKaela Walker dealt the exclamation points with a three-run home run off Kamzik. Freshman left-hander Brianne Weiss settled the game down and finished it for the Irish, although Tori Edwards took her deep for another two runs in the fifth.
Sydney Berzon pitched a shortened complete game for LSU, punching out seven and allowing only two hits in her five innings.
San Diego State 4, Notre Dame 5
Irish pitching returned to form in Friday’s second game, as Kastor shut out the Aztecs in each of her first six innings as the starter. Notre Dame’s offense took the lead in the second on sophomore infielder Olivia Levitt’s single. The Irish added on with two runs in the fifth on singles from Amaral and senior outfielder Mickey Winchell, then another two in the sixth on senior catcher Rachel Allen’s round-tripper.
Down 5-0 entering the seventh, San Diego State nearly came all the way back to tie the game. The Aztecs scored four runs, sending Kastor to the dugout an out away from another complete game as Shannon Cunningham homered to make it 5-4. On came senior right-hander Shannon Becker with two outs and the tying run, Quinn Waiki, at the dish. Inducing a flyout, she got Notre Dame’s second ranked win of the season to the finish line.
Notre Dame 1, Arizona 7
Like LSU, Arizona put the Irish in a hole early on Saturday, hanging five runs on Becker in the first two innings. Weiss entered for the final 4.2 innings and limited the Wildcats to two runs but conceded eight hits as Arizona produced 14 base knocks in total.
Arizona starting pitcher Miranda Stoddard turned in four shutout frames on the other side. Notre Dame scored its only run of the ballgame after her exit on a sixth-inning long ball from junior utility player Paige Cowley.
Next weekend, the Irish will begin ACC play with a road series at Louisville. First pitches are set for 6 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
