April 4, 2006
The University of Notre Dame softball team (20-10) pushed its winning streak to nine games and its 2006 home field record to 7-0 with a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Michigan (15-18) on a clear, cool and windy Tuesday afternoon at Ivy Field. The Irish won game one 2-0, then posted a second shutout 1-0 in game two.
The story of the doubleheader sweep was simple: Notre Dame’s two starting pitchers, senior Heather Booth and freshman Brittney Bargar, dominated the Eastern Michigan hitters and allowed just two hits each in their two respective appearances. Booth struck out six and walked two in the first game, while Bargar, named the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on Monday, posted a career-best 11 strikeouts and walked two in the second contest.
The Irish bats did not post the huge numbers the team had enjoyed over the weekend against Connecticut and Providence, but Notre Dame was able to get the key hit in each game to push itself over the top.
In game one, the bottom half of the Notre Dame batting order provided the two runs. In the bottom of the second inning, sophomore Katie Laing led off with a triple and scored on a ground ball RBI by senior Sara Schoonaert. The team added an insurance run in the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by freshmen Linda Kohan and Erin Glasco.
During game two, the Irish struggled to find their way against EMU starting pitcher Nikki Denman. She struck out six in the Irish lineup and the team also spoiled scoring chances in the third inning (leadoff double by Kohan) and fifth inning (leadoff walk by Kohan). But when the Irish needed a run, they answered the call.
Freshman Alexandra Kotcheff led off the bottom of the sixth inning by rifling a double over the EMU defensive player in centerfield. Senior Mallorie Lenn moved her to third base with a sacrifice bunt to set the stage for senior cleanup hitter Meagan Ruthrauff. Ruthrauff worked the count full, then sent a screaming single through the left side hole to drive in the lone run of the game.
There would be on question that the one-run lead would stand. Bargar recorded the last seven outs of the game via strikeout, pitching around a single and walk in the top of the seventh, to earn her 10th win of the year.
DOUBLEHEADER NOTES: Heather Booth has now won five games in a row since losing a tough one-run decision to #6 Alabama in the final game of the Judi Garman Classic … Brittney Bargar has not lost a pitching decision since the 2-1, eight-inning loss to Stephen F. Austin on March 5 … Notre Dame has shutout its opponents over the last three games and allowed just three runs to its opponents during the team’s nine-game win streak … the eight-game homestand will come to an end tomorrow with a single game against Akron at 4:00 p.m. … the Irish will return to the road this weekend with conference doubleheaders at Syracuse (Saturday) and Pittsburgh (Sunday).