SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team overcame an eight-run deficit to earn a 15-13 walk-off victory in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the series from Georgia Tech at Melissa Cook Stadium. Georgia Tech scored 11 runs in the first two innings, but the Fighting Irish continued to apply pressure all game long, scoring in seven of eight innings. Joley Mitchell hit the game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Irish went home victorious.
Alexis Holloway started in the circle, facing three hitters before giving way to Payton Tidd. Tidd worked 2.0 innings, allowing five hits and eight runs, six earned in her 20th appearance of the season. Shannon Becker came on and shut down the Yellowjackets. The freshman threw six innings, scattering five hits, two earned runs and struck out four to earn her eighth win of the season.
The top four of the Irish lineup all had multiple hits, led by a pair of 3-for-5 efforts from Leea Hanks and Emma Clark. Hanks hit a solo home run and scored three times, Clark scored twice to go with the game-tying RBI in the seventh inning. Abby Sweet finished 2-for-5, and Karina Gaskins was 2-for-4. Sweet drove in two and scored a run. Gaskins drove in a run. Jane Kronenberger, Miranda Johnson, Brooke Marquez, Carlli Kloss, Cassidy Grimm and Joley Mitchell all had a hit in the win.
Kronenberger, Johnson and Mitchell each homered. Johnson’s was the first of her career, a grand slam in the second inning. Kronenberger’s tied the game up in the sixth inning and Mitchell’s ended the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Georgia Tech didn’t was any time getting on the board, scoring six in the first inning. Back-to-back solo home runs led off the game before a couple walks and a hit batter loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice brought in the third run, and a single up the middle scored two. An RBI ground out added the sixth run as the Yellowjackets took the early 6-0 lead.
The Irish got three back in the bottom of the first inning. Three-straight singles started the bottom of the inning as Sweet’s drove in Hanks for the first Notre Dame run. Gaskins dropped a single to right center, the throw into the infield skipped away, and an aggressive Clark took off from third and scored. Marquez drove in the third run with a single to left field to cut the lead to 6-3
Yellowjackets regained their cushion and then some, scoring five runs in the top of the second to take the lead at 11-3.
Notre Dame fought right back, scoring five of their own in the bottom of the second. Grmm led off with a single to turn the lineup over, as Hanks and Clark each singled to load the bases. An RBI ground out from Gaskins brought the first run in before Kronenberger was hit by a pitch to load the bases yet again. Johnson hit her first career home run down the right field line to cut the lead down to 11-8 after two innings of play.
After a scoreless third inning, Notre Dame got a run back in the bottom of the fourth. Gaskins legged out an infield single and was pinch ran for by Emily Tran. Tran moved around the bases with a passed ball and two wild pitches to trim the lead to 11-9.
A Hanks homer in the fifth got the Irish within a run, and a solo homer from Kronenberger tied the game in the sixth.
Georgia Tech regained the lead in the top of the seventh, connecting on a two-out solo home run to go up 12-11.
The Irish continued to battle, scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extras. Kloss drove a single to right to start the rally and moved up with a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Clark drove a single up the middle to tie the game up.
The Yellowjackets again regained the lead in the top of the eighth. A lead-off single came around to score on a pinch-hit single by Grace Connelly.
The Irish offense continued to battle in the bottom of the eighth. A one-out walk and a single put two on. After a pitching change and a fly out for the second out, Mitchell came on to pinch hit. On the first pitch she saw, she hammered a fly ball to center that cleared the wall, scoring three and giving the Irish the 15-13 victory.
Up Next
The Irish will be back in action Tuesday as they will host the ninth-ranked Northwestern Wildcats on Irish Wear Green night, fans are encouraged to wear green to Tuesday’s game that begins at 5 p.m.