March 4, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- Notre Dame’s softball team (7-7) dropped a tough 1-0 decision to No. 9 Michigan (19-1) on the final day of the Crispers/JU Invitational on Sunday, March 4 in Jacksonville, Fla. at the JU Softball Complex. Sophomore Brittney Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona) took the defeat for Notre Dame, despite only allowing one run on five hits in a complete game effort.
Michigan wasted a golden bases loaded one-out opportunity in the first inning, as Irish starter Bargar struck out the last two batters to escape the inning unscathed.
Irish sophomore Beth Northway (Kentwood, Mich./Kentwood) made a second inning-ending highlight reel sliding catch in the third inning to keep the game scoreless.
The Wolverines squeezed a run across in the fourth inning. Teddi Ewing started the frame with a bunt single, moved to second on the sacrifice bunt and came in to score the first run on Allison Kidman’s double down the right field line.
Michigan hurler Lorilyn Wilson (10-1) was untouchable for most of the morning in throwing a complete game one-hitter with 13 strikeouts. The sole Irish hit was a double by sophomore Linda Kohan (Westminster, Calif./Westminster) in the first inning. The only other base runner for Notre Dame was Heather Johnson’s (Los Alamitos, Calif./Mater Dei) walk in the fourth inning.
Bargar (6-3) went the distance for the Irish with six strikeouts and six hits allowed. It was her eighth complete game of the season.
Notre Dame will next travel to the Long Beach Invitational on Sunday, March 11 and take on Eastern Kentucky at 2:30 p.m. (PT) and UCLA at 5 p.m. (PT).
Irish Notes: This was the first time this season that Brown did not reach base, ending her 13 game on-base streak … Kohan hit .417 in the tournament, as she was five-for-twelve with four doubles and four RBI … Brown also had a solid performance in the four games with four hits and four runs scored.