SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball program is set to host its 12th annual Strikeout Cancer weekend, hosting the University of Pittsburgh in a weekend full of softball and fundraising activities. Games are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday with the finale Sunday at noon, all weather permitting. Friday’s game time was moved up from its originally scheduled 6:00 start time due to inclement weather in the forecast.
The Fighting Irish are also hosting a pair of fundraising events with a trivia night Saturday at 6 p.m. at the South Bend Cubs Training Center, and a home run derby following Sunday’s game. Fans have their chance to see how many home runs they can hit out of Melissa Cook Stadium by donating $10 for 10 swings using the like here, or by donating cash at the site. For those interested in attending Saturday night’s trivia event, reach out to associate head coach Kris Ganeff (kmcclear@nd.edu) for a chance to book your table. Cost is $250 and up to 10 people at a table.
Notre Dame enters having won eight of its last 10, with just one loss in that run. Of those eight wins, five have been via the mercy rule as the Irish offense has come alive. Overall, the Irish are 19-8-1, and 4-4-1 in ACC action.
The Irish offense is hitting for a .318 average as a team, led by a .351 mark by lead-off hitter Carlli Kloss. Kloss also leads the team with 15 extra-base hits, 10 of which have been two-baggers. She adds 16 RBI and scored a team-best 23 runs. Lexi Orozco and Karina Gaskins provide the pop in the lineup, each hitting seven home runs. Orozco leads the team with 26 RBI, and the tandem of Payton Tidd and Joley Mitchell have each driven in 22 runs.
Payton Tidd anchors the pitching staff, leading the team with 12 starts, and is tied with Shannon Becker and Micaela Kastor with 17 appearances. Tidd has thrown 84.1 innings, striking out 73 while earning 10 wins. Kastor adds a 1.58 ERA with 10 relief appearances. She leads the team with three saves and limits opponents to a .204 average against. Shannon Becker adds 52.1 innings, striking out 39 and earning five wins on the season.
Pittsburgh enters the weekend with a 14-14 overall mark, and are currently 0-6 in league action. The Panthers were swept at home by the Virginia Cavaliers, and bring with them an eight-game losing streak.
As a team, Pittsburgh hits at a .268 clip, led by shortstop Yvonne Whaley. Whaley has a .447 average with 12 extra-base hits and four stolen bases. She adds a team-best 17 runs to go with 18 RBI. Sarah Seamnas equals Whaley in runs scored, but adds 15 RBI, six home runs and stole a team-best 10 bases this season.
The tandem of Abby Edwards and Dani Drogemuller lead the charge in the circle. Drogemuller leads the team with 73.0 innings pitched, earning a 3.74 ERA with eight complete games in 12 starts. Edwards owns a 3.42 ERA in 17 appearances. In her 59.1 innings, she’s struck out 63 hitters and holds opponents to a .231 average against. Andraina Romano, Julia Grobman and Kendall Brown all work primarily out of the bullpen, with none throwing more than 25 innings.