Feb. 11, 2005
The first day of the GRU Classic at the University of Florida ended in frustrating fashion for Notre Dame, as the Irish ended up on the short end of a 5-0 game to #21 South Florida (3-3). Notre Dame is now 0-2 in the tournament and will face Coastal Carolina on 10 a.m. Saturday.
Notre Dame ended the day with just five hits in two games (including the 3-2 loss to #19 Florida to begin the tournament) and start the season 0-2 for the first time since 1997.
South Florida starting pitcher Danielle Urbanik shut down the Irish offense, allowing just one hit in Friday evening’s games. The lone hit came in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of senior Megan Ciolli.
The Irish defense, on the other hand, did not perform well either. Notre Dame committed three errors in the contest, allowing four unearned runs for South Florida. Junior Heather Booth suffered her first loss of the season, throwing seven innings, giving up six hits while striking out two.
USF’s first run came in the top of the third inning when Carly Griffin earned a lead off walk. On an attempted sacrifice bunt attempt, Griffin drifted off the first base bag, prompting a throw from Notre Dame catcher Gessica Hufnagle. No one was covering the bag for Notre Dame, however, and the ball skipped away down the rightfield line – allowing Griffin to reach second without USF burning a run on a sacrifice.
Alycia LePage did move Griffin to third on a sacrifice bunt and the runner eventually scored on an RBI single by Christie Chapman.
The Bulls tacked on three runs in the top of the fifth on another defensive miscue. Sarah Watson led off with a single and moved to second on another single by Griffin. LePage delivered another sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Chapman then grounded a ball directly to Irish third basemen Liz Hartmann – and it was exactly what the Irish needed (throw home for the out, keep the score at 1-0), but the ball skipped through Hartmann’s legs, allowing Watson to score.
Samantha Ray then grounded out for USF, which should have been the final out of the inning. Carmela Liwag made the Irish pay for the defensive miscue and extra out, drilling a double down the leftfield line to drive in two more runs and put the Bulls up 4-0.
Griffin, who scored three runs in the game, added on an insurance run in the top of the seventh when she singled and scored on a single from Ray.
With two games under their belts this season, the Irish return to action tomorrow at 10 a.m. Notre Dame will have three more games to play in the tournament this weekend, giving them a chance to return home with a 3-2 record.