April 2, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team looks to claim first place in the BIG EAST Conference Wednesday when it travels to Washington, D.C. for a pair of games with Georgetown at Guy Mason Field. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon, with the second game tentatively set for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Notre Dame (22-8, 3-0 BIG EAST), winners of 18 of its last 21 games, is in a tie at the top of the BIG EAST standings with Georgetown (13-20, 3-0 BIG EAST).
The Irish are 4-0 all-time against the Hoyas, and swept the first two games played between the teams at Guy Mason Field in 2009. A planned three-game series last season in Washington was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Fans can view follow live stats from Wednesday’s game via by visiting UND.com. For updates throughout the game, follow the Irish on Twitter @NDsoftball.
Notre Dame at Georgetown
April 3, 2013
Guy Mason Field
Washington, D.C.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(22-8 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST)
Georgetown Hoyas
(13-20 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST; ND leads all-time series 4-0)
IRISH SLAP HITS
– Wednesday’s games mark one of two Notre Dame BIG EAST series this season that will feature only two games. The April 23 doubleheader against Connecticut is the only other time in the 2013 conference schedule where the Irish will play on a single day.
– Notre Dame swept Seton Hall in its opening BIG EAST series of the season March 23-24 in South Orange, N.J. The Irish defeated the Pirates 10-2 and 10-1 in five innings Saturday before logging a second 10-2 victory in five frames Sunday.
– Notre Dame’s next victory will be the 1,000th win in program history. Since the team’s first season of play in 1989, the Irish are a combined 999-446-3 (.691).
– For the second straight week, Emilee Koerner claimed the number one slot in individual batting average in the NCAA national statistics rankings. Koerner is currently hitting at a .521 clip. She also ranks fifth in slugging percentage (.969), sixth in doubles per game (0.43) and 11th in on-base percentage (.561) amongst Division I peers entering the week.
– Notre Dame is ranked second in the BIG EAST Conference in team batting average (.317), slugging percentage (.515), on-base percentage (.382), runs (172), hits (258), RBI (152), doubles (52), home runs (32), team ERA (1.92) and batters struck out (225). The Irish lead the conference in triples (7) and stolen bases (48 in 57 attempts).
– In games immediately following a loss this season, Notre Dame has compiled a 5-1 record. The Irish have not had a losing streak of more than two games at any point in 2013, and have recorded separate seven and nine-game winning streaks.
– Amy Buntin has reached base in a team-high 10 consecutive games. The 2012 All-American is batting .440 (11-for-25) with one home run, 10 RBI and eight runs scored in her last 10 starts. Buntin’s on-base percentage of .484 ranks second on the team during the stretch (Emilee Koerner, .649).
In The Past 10 Games
During Notre Dame’s 8-2 run in its past 10 games, the Irish are batting at a cumulative .325 clip with 87 hits (20 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs), 54 RBI, 144 total bases, a .537 slugging percentage, a .401 on-base percentage and 15 stolen bases.
Notre Dame has outscored opponents 66-18 during the stretch, which have included a trio of series sweeps against Northern Illinois, Iona and Seton Hall.
Simon On The Spot
Second baseman Jenna Simon has flourished near the top of the Irish lineup all season, currently batting a career-best .364 (32-for-88). Her 1.14 hits per game rank second on the Notre Dame roster.
Simon has added a career-high 11 stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 28 games played. She also ranks among the top 50 toughest players to strike out in the country, having been retired on strikes only three times in nearly 100 total plate appearances.
Multiple Hit Machines
A total of 13 different players have combined for 58 multi-hit games during Notre Dame’s 22-8 start this season. Emilee Koerner has accounted for 15 multi-hit outputs to lead the team, followed by the nine of Jenna Simon.
Notre Dame players have logged four hits in a game one time (Koerner, Seton Hall, March 24) and three hits on 16 occasions. Conversely, opposing players have only managed three-hit performances against Irish pitching five times in 2013.
Irish On The Road In The BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 145-26 (.848) in conference road games since joining the BIG EAST in 1996. The Irish have compiled a 99-21 mark in opposing BIG EAST venues under head coach Deanna Gumpf.
Notre Dame has finished undefeated on the road in BIG EAST play three times (2002, 10-0; 2005, 10-0; 2009, 11-0).
Notre Dame Perfect Against Hoyas
Notre Dame is 4-0 all-time against Georgetown, including two wins at Guy Mason Field in 2009.
The Irish hold a 22-8 aggregate run advantage in the brief series history against the Hoyas.
Milestone Tracker
Notre Dame is approaching a pair of key win totals that, at the team’s current pace, will be achieved during the 2013 season.
The Irish are a single victory away from earning the 1,000th win in program history. Notre Dame is 999-446-3 (.691) during its 25 years of existence.
Deanna Gumpf is also 13 wins away from becoming the first Irish softball head coach to record 500 career victories (487-200-1, .708).
Buntin For Senior CLASS
Captain Amy Buntin is one of 30 candidates for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award®. Eligible student-athletes must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
The award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The 10 award finalists will be announced at the halfway mark of the regular season, at which time fans will have the opportunity to cast their vote to determine the winner.
Visit Amy’s candidate page at http://www.seniorclassaward.com/athletes/amy_buntin/.
–ND–