Feb. 17, 2007
AUBURN, Ala.- Heather Johnson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Mater Dei) hit the walk-off game-winning two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel Notre Dame (2-1) to a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Tennessee Tech (4-4) on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Auburn City Softball Complex. This is the second time in as many days that Notre Dame has won a game in its last at bat.
Johnson continued a torrid start to her freshman season, with three more hits and three RBI against the Golden Eagles. Johnson now is six-for-nine (.667) in her first three games with the Irish,
The Golden Eagles jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first, as Beth Boden doubled to lead off the game and came in to score on the two-run home run off the bat of Krystina Dobbs.
The Irish would answer with a three runs of their own. Sophomore Stephanie Mola (Naples, Fla./St. John Neumann) singled to the third baseman. Mola would come in to score the first run of the game on Johnson’s single to the gap in left-center. Sophomore Linda Kohan (Westminster, Calif./Westminster) then delivered the big blow of the inning, her first home run of the season, to give the Irish a 3-2 lead.
Sophomore Brittney Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona), after the home run settled down and retired the next 11 batters before Kristyn Castonzo drove a one-out single up the middle in the fifth. After a strikeout, Amanda Clark hit a single to center to move Castonzo to second. Bargar nearly got out of the inning, but a fielding error by the Irish shortstop allowed Castonzo to score from second and tie the game at three all.
Junior Erin Glasco (Johnston City, Ill./Johnston City) started the sixth inning with a double to left-center. Junior Brittany Glynn (Seymour, Conn./St. Joseph) pinch ran for Glasco and took third on a wild pitch. Senior Gessica Hufnagle (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge) drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to give Notre Dame a 4-3 lead.
The Golden Eagles fought back with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. Castonzo started the trouble with single to centerfield. Kristina Hortert then pinch ran for Castonzo and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hortert took third on the dropped third strike throw by the Notre Dame catcher to first base for the second out. A two-out intentional walk to Boden soon followed, as it looked like Bargar was going to escape a difficult situation unscathed. Boden took second on the catcher indifference. Amanda Glover then hit a ball in front of the plate that was pounced on by Bargar. Bargar’s throw was on target, but it popped out of Notre Dame’s first baseman glove allowing both Hortert and Boden to score the tying and go-ahead run.
Bargar (2-0) had a steady outing for Notre Dame going the distance with one walk, eight strikeouts and seven hits allowed.
Notre Dame continues its play in Tiger Invitational with a game against Tulsa at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.