Notre Dame softball and Northwestern played to a 10–10 tie on Tuesday afternoon, as the close contest was called after seven innings due to darkness. The Irish led 10–4 entering the sixth inning, but ceded six runs across the final two frames, including a game-tying grand slam, as they watched a potentially impressive midweek win slip through their fingertips. They managed to hold on and avoid a devastating loss in their first draw of 2025, bringing their record this spring to 16–20–1.
The offense came alive for Notre Dame, who recorded ten runs, twelve hits and two home runs contributed by freshman infielder Kaia Cortes and senior infielder Anna Holloway. This was only the second time all season the Irish reached double digits on the scoreboard, with the other being in a 15–4 win over Lipscomb on Feb. 23. They went 38 days and 21 days between offensive explosions.
Cortes, senior outfielder Emily Tran and sophomore infielder Addison Amaral all recorded multiple hits and runs batted in (RBIs) in the victory from the 2–4 spots in the lineup. Holloway and freshman utility player Caroline O'Brien both reached base and each scored multiple times.
Four pitchers combined for seven innings of work, started by freshman pitcher Brianne Weiss. The staff managed an impressive eight strikeouts compared to just two walks, but surrendered 15 hits to the Wildcats. One of those hits was the tying grand slam in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of first baseman Kansas Robinson. The junior knocked in six runs in total, scoring two herself as well in a 4/4 performance.
Had the game not been called for darkness, the Irish would've played their second consecutive extra-inning affair after a 6–4 loss in 10 innings to No. 22 Virginia on Sunday, March 27. Notre Dame has not lost in seven innings (or fewer, by run rule) since March 23, winning three of five games since then.
Kris Ganeff and her team will look to keep the momentum going in their upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series this weekend at Melissa Cook Stadium. If the rain holds off, the Irish will welcome the Pittsburgh Panthers into South Bend for their third straight weekend at home. Notre Dame enters the three-game set with a 4–5 record at home and 4–8 mark overall in ACC play. The series marks the 15th annual Strikeout Cancer Weekend on campus.
The host squad recently upset No. 22 Virginia, defeating the Cavaliers 4–3 on Friday night and 7–2 on Saturday before dropping the finale on Sunday in extra innings. This was Notre Dame's first series win in conference play of the 2025 season, and they now have four wins over three unique ranked opponents.
Sophomore utility player Sydny Poeck enters the matchup on a 17-game on-base streak. Weiss takes a 3.07 earned run average (ERA) in ACC play into the weekend in seven appearances, including a complete game shutout gem against NC State in March. Senior catcher Rachel Allen has heated up against conference foes, recording five this and four RBIs against Virginia to bring her season-long ACC on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) up to a very solid .827.
The Panthers have struggled throughout the spring, sporting a 12–21 record in 33 games played. They are 3–10 on the road and 2–10 in ACC play, although they did pick up an eight-inning, 6–2 win against Boston College to close out the set on Sunday. That win snapped a four-game slide and was just their second win in the past 30 days. Pitt went 3–12 in March and lost their first game of April to Robert Morris 7–1.
The Panthers are led by head coach Jenny Allard in her second year at the helm and 30th as a skipper overall. She spent 28 years at Harvard before moving west to the state of Pennsylvania. Sophomore Ahmari Braden leads the Panthers in most major offensive categories, with a .352 batting average and .935 OPS. Senior righty Kyra Pittman has appeared in 23 games in the circle, including 17 starts, pitching to a 4.10 ERA with eight complete games. Weather permitting, the first game of the series this weekend is set for Friday, April 4, at 6 p.m. Saturday's start time is 1 p.m. and the set concludes on Sunday at noon.
