February 26, 1999
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Notre Dame’s Angela Bessolo and Melanie Alkire combined for a no-hitter as the Irish defeated Tennessee-Martin, 8-0, in the first game of the Choo Choo Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Irish improved to 5-1 on the season and will play host Tennessee-Chattanooga tonight at 7 p.m.
Bessolo, a senior from Lakewood, Calif., pitched the first three innings for the Irish allowing only two walks, before Alkire, a sophomore from Union City, Calif., came in to relieve Bessolo starting the fourth inning and earning the save. It was the 23rd no-hitter in Notre Dame history and the first for the Irish since Joy Battersby no-hit St. John’s on April 21, 1996. It also marked the second career no-hitter for Bessolo and the first for Alkire. Bessolo fired a no-hitter against Valparaiso on April 18, 1996.
The Irish jumped on the scoreboard early as they scored three times in the first inning, with two of the runs coming on freshman Jarrah Myers’ triple. Notre Dame scored two more runs in the third, one in the fourth and two in the sixth before the game was called in the sixth inning due to the mercy rule. Myers finished the day going 2-for-3 with four RBI, while sophomore Lizzy Lemire was 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.