BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team rallied for an 8-4 win in an extra inning at Andy Mohr Field Tuesday night. The Fighting Irish rallied from a run down before scoring four in the eighth inning to earn the win. The Irish improve to 32-9 on the season, while Indiana falls to 23-13.
Alexis Holloway started in the circle, throwing 2.0 innings. She allowed just one hit, but surrendered three earned runs with two walks and three hit batters as she struck out two. Payton Tidd was next on, going the next 4.2 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out four before giving way to Shannon Becker. Becker threw the final 1.2 innings, earning her ninth win of the season. She struck out one and allowed an earned run in the win.
The Irish offense was led by a pair of 3-for-4 performances from Karina Gaskins and Joley Mitchell. Gaskins drove in two, while Mitchell drove in one and scored twice. Abby Sweet added another a 2-for-5 effort and scored a run. Leea Hanks, Emma Clark and Carlli Kloss all had a hit in the Irish’s 11-hit effort.
Notre Dame struck first in the top of the second inning. Clark led the frame off with an infield single and moved to second when Mitchell lined a single through the right side. After a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position, a ground ball allowed Clark to score and the Irish took the 1-0 lead. Miranda Johnson drove a fly ball to center field that was deep enough to score Mitchell and the Irish took the early 2-0 lead.
Indiana took the lead in the bottom of the frame, scoring three runs. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases before a one-out hit batter brought in the first run and turned the lineup over. Cora Bassett drove in two to take the lead with a single to left.
After three scoreless innings, the Irish tied it up in the top of the sixth. A lead-off single by Gaskins started the rally as she was lifted for Emily Tran to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt moved Tran into scoring position where Mitchell delivered a single to center to score the run and tie the game at three.
Notre Dame took the lead in the top of the seventh, scoring a solo run. An error, a single to center and a walk loaded the bases for Gaskins. Gaskins drove a single through the left side to take the lead.
Indiana didn’t let the Irish lead hold for long, scoring a run in their half to force extra innings. A single and a walk moved the runner into scoring position as a single to left scored the tying run and put runners on second and third. The Hoosiers attempted the squeeze play for the game-winning run, but the bunt stopped in fair territory a foot from home plate where Kloss fielded it and tagged out the runner. A ground out retired the side as the game went to extra innings.
In the eighth, the Irish jumped out quick. Mitchell and Kloss hit back-to-back singles to start the rally. Sweet drove a single back up the middle that ricocheted off the pitcher who picked it up and tried to get Sweet at first, but the throw was wild allowing two to score and Sweet to take third. Hanks drove a double down the left field line and Gaskins drove a single back to center field to extend the Irish lead to 8-4.
Indiana rallied for a run in its half of the eighth, but Becker got a pair of ground outs to close out the game as the Irish earned the win.
Up Next
Notre Dame is back in action this weekend as it hosts North Carolina in a three-game series at Melissa Cook Stadium.