Feb. 24, 2007
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Junior Katie Laing (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol) led Notre Dame (3-5) to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over UNLV (11-5), with her single in the eighth inning, in the first game of the day at the Palm Springs Tournament in Cathedral City, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Yankee Field at the Big League Dreams Complex. This was the third time this season that Notre Dame has won a game in its last at bat.
After the Irish withstood a tough situation in the top of the eighth inning, senior Carissa Jaquish (Highland Ranch, Calif./Redlands East Valley) was placed on second due to the international-tie breaker rule. Jaquish, who was pinch running for Heather Johnson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Mater Dei), took third on a wild pitch and would scamper home with the winning run on the single through the left side by Laing.
The eight inning did not begin well for Notre Dame, as Kendall Fearn was placed on second. Jenn Newman pinch ran for Fearn and moved to second on the single by Bri Bernardi. Newman then was caught stealing to aid the Irish get out of a sticky situation. The next two Rebels were retired in order to keep the scored tied and set the scene for Laing’s heroics.
The Running Rebel started the offense early with a pair in the first. Jaci Hull singled to start the inning, went to second on the sacrifice bunt and took third on a chopping single from Brittany Bolinger. A walk to Fearn loaded the bases. Hull and Bolinger then came in to score the first two runs of the game on Brittany Meade’s single up the middle.
Notre Dame broke through for a run in the third inning. Sarah Smith (Oklahoma City, Okla./Heritage Hall) hit an infield single to start the frame. Smith moved to second as Stephanie Mola (Naples, Fla./St. John Neumann) reached on the fielding error from the Rebels pitcher. A Stephanie Brown (Chandler, Ariz./Corona Del Sol) bunt single loaded the bases. After a force out at the plate for the second out, sophomore Linda Kohan (Westminster, Calif./Westminster) hit a single off the pitcher to drive in Mola. Johnson then hit a single to the shortstop, in which Northway was called out due to runner’s interference with the shortstop for the second out. Rebel’s pitcher Stephanie Bregante then struck out the next batter to end the inning.
The Irish nearly tied the game in the fifth inning, as Brown drove a one-out single through the box. Brown then stole second and went to third on the overthrow by the Rebels’ catcher, but Bregante was up to the challenge and struck out the next two Irish batters in order.
UNLV added an insurance run in the seventh as Kelli Fangonilo drove in Brittany Freight with a ball into short left field.
The Irish scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at three all. Brown started the two-out rally with a bunt single. She moved all the way to third as the Rebels’ shortstop misplayed a pop out off the bat of Beth Northway (Kentwood, Mich./Kentwood). Northway would take second on the play. Kohan then came up with a single up the middle to score Brown and Northway and tie the game.
Notre Dame’s Brittany Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona) (3-2) picked up the extra inning win for Notre Dame, as she only allowed three runs with 11 strikeouts in eight innings from the circle.
The team continues its play in the Palm Springs Tournament with a game against Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m. (PT) on Feb. 24.
Irish Notes: The win broke Notre Dame’s longest losing streak since May 1-2, 2006 when they also lost four-in-row … Brown had her second three-hit game of the season as she went three-for-four.