Irish turn two to set IUPUI down in the third!
0-0 | Mid 3#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/wOTIX8Abp5
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) April 2, 2019
NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Katie Marino knocked in three runs and Payton Tidd twirled five innings of one-hit ball as the Notre Dame softball team defeated IUPUI, 8-0, in six innings on Tuesday night at Melissa Cook Stadium.
Tidd struck out six of the 19 batters she faced, allowing one hit and two walks. Alexis Holloway worked a perfect sixth inning to close it out. Marino was 1-for-1 with three RBI and two runs scored, including a two-run homer. Melissa Rochford, MK Bonamy, Quinn Biggio and Madison Hedie contributed an RBI apiece.
Key Innings
T3 | With the game scoreless after two, the Jaguars threatened when Delainey Turner reached on a throwing error. After Tidd struckout Haley Ginger, she induced a groundball from Maddie Keeley which allowed Marino to field it, tag the runner, and toss to first for a double play to end the frame. The Irish would then take the lead in the bottom half.
B3 | Heide started things with a single through the left side before Alexis Bazos bunted her to second. After Wester grounded out, Marino crushed a payoff pitch off the scoreboard in left to make it 2-0.
Katie Marino has the Irish up 2-0 with a ? off the scoreboard!
2-0 ND | Mid 4#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/citzWWUKnO
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) April 2, 2019
T5 | The top of the fifth saw the Irish defense come up big again. Jaida Speth started the Jaguar rally with a one-out double. After a foul out to the catcher, Turner hit a comebacker to Tidd who lost the handle as she tried to throw to first. With runners on the corners and two outs, Ginger hit a flyball into shallow left that was snared by a diving Wester to end the frame.
Ali Wester with the diving catch in left to preserve the shutout!
3-0 ND | Mid 5#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/ZZdiCw9m6E
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) April 2, 2019
B5 | The Irish broke it open in their half of the fifth. Wester led off with a single and stole second before Marino walked. After Brooks flied out and Wester advanced to third, Marino stole second and Abby Sweet walked to load the bases. Rochford drove a ball that one-hopped the wall in centerfield, but it was close enough to being caught the Irish plated just one run. After an IUPUI pitching change, Bonamy drew a four-pitch walk before Biggio hit into a fielder’s choice to score Sweet and make it 6-0.
B6 | The Irish put the game away in the sixth. Emma Clark drew a walk before Wester singled. After a double steal, Marino drove a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Clark. Brooks walked to put runners on the corners and was pinch-run for by Shelby Grimm. Head coach Deanna Gumpf started Grimm on the first pitch and the catcher’s throw beat both middle infielders to the bag, rolling into centerfield and allowing Wester to score to end the game.
Up Next
The Fighting Irish will host their annual Strikeout Cancer weekend and an ACC series with Boston College April 5-7. The Irish and Eagles meet for game one of the series on Friday, April 5, at 5 p.m. with a postgame homerun derby. Action begins at Noon on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night will be the team’s annual Strikeout Cancer trivia night (visit und.com/strikeoutcancer to register) and Tatum’s Toss will take place on Sunday.
Admission to all three softball games is free of charge. The weekend benefits pediatric cancer patients and their families in Indiana.