NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Melissa Rochford had three RBI and Payton Tidd held Boston College to a pair of runs as the Notre Dame softball team completed a three-game sweep of the Eagles with a 7-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Melissa Cook Stadium. The victory moved the Irish to 24-12 and 7-5 in ACC play, while the Eagles dropped to 11-23 and 3-9 in league action.
The game concluded Notre Dame’s ninth annual Strikeout Cancer weekend, which saw the program raise over $65,000 to benefit children in the South Bend area fighting cancer.
Key Innings
B1 | In a game moved up an hour to beat impending rain, the Irish bats were ready to go. Ali Wester started the bottom of the first drawing a four-pitch walk before Katie Marino doubled to the gap in right center. Caitlyn Brooks drew the second walk of the game to load the bases before Abby Sweet served a sacrifice fly into center field, plating Wester. Rochford then took a 2-2 pitch up the middle to score Brooks and Marino and a walk to MK Bonamy chased BC starter Camryn Dolby. Susannah Anderson entered the circle and got Quinn Biggio to line out to short before Madison Heide grounded out to end the inning.
T2 | Stellar defense kept the score 3-0 in the middle of the second. Allyson Moore drew a leadoff walk and was followed by a strikeout and ground out before Kennedy Labshere singled right past Tidd. Marino made a diving stop behind the second base bag and was unable to make a play, but she did save the run by keeping the ball in the infield and Moore at third base. Tidd then induced a groundout from Gianna Randazza to keep the Irish lead at 3-0.
T5 | BC used a two-out hit to draw within a run in the fifth. Pinch hitter Kristin Giery hit a one-out single up the middle and was followed by Lexi DiEmmanuele, who did the same. Ellie Mataya grounded out, putting runners at second and third, before Emme Martinez drove a single back up the middle, scoring Giery and DiEmmanuele to cut the Notre Dame lead to 3-2. Allyson Moore grounded out to end the frame.
B5 | The Fighting Irish immediately re-extended their lead. Brooks started with a single and was pinch-run for by Shelby Grimm. Abby Sweet singled to right, then advanced to second as the throw to get Grimm at third was not in time. Rochford then executed a perfect bunt down the first-base line for an RBI single. Rochford wasn’t done, executing a delayed steal of second base that allowed Sweet to come home. Bonamy then singled to center, scoring Rochford and making it 6-2. A double play and popout ended the frame.
B6 | The Irish got an insurance run when Marino drilled a 1-0 pitch to the bleachers in left for her ninth homer of the season and fifth in the last eight games.
Up Next
Head coach Deanna Gumpf and her squad will venture west to Evanston, Illinois for a contest with Northwestern on Tuesday, April 9. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.