April 23, 2017
by Tony Jones
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A five-run top of the seventh inning carried Virginia to a 10-6 victory on Sunday over the University of Notre Dame softball team. Virginia, in its first trip to Melissa Cook Stadium, earned the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series sweep during the weekend.
How It Happened
After Virginia (20-29, 8-13 ACC) scored two runs in the top of the first inning, Notre Dame (27-18, 11-10 ACC) answered with a run of its own in the bottom half. A Karley Wester leadoff single, wild pitch, sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout pulled the Irish within one at 2-1.
Virginia added two runs with an RBI double and RBI single in the top of the second, but a double play in the continuation of action after the second Cavalier run by the Notre Dame defense ended the Virginia ups at 4-1.
Notre Dame sprung into the lead in the bottom of the second inning. A Sara White RBI single with two outs plated Kimmy Sullivan to bring the Irish back to two runs off the pace at 4-2. A fielding error and single loaded the bases for Ali Wester, whose RBI single and a subsequent Virginia error scored all three Notre Dame runs for the 5-4 advantage.
An RBI single for Virginia tied the game in the top of the fourth inning at 5-5. Caitlyn Brooks, who threw a valiant 5.1 innings of relief, shut out the Cavaliers through the remainder of the fourth, along with the fifth and sixth innings.
Four key Virginia hits plated five runs in the top of the seventh inning to rocket the visitors ahead 10-5. A Morgan Reed RBI single through the right side in the home half of the frame closed the Notre Dame gap to the final scoring margin at 10-6.
Up Next
Notre Dame travels to Northwestern for a midweek, nonconference matchup on Tuesday at 5 p.m. (ET) in Evanston, Illinois. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network (BTN).
For the latest news and updates on all things Notre Dame softball, visit www.und.com/softball, follow the Irish @NDsoftball and @NDcoachGumpf on Twitter and at Instagram.com/notredamesoftball, and Like the team at Facebook.com/NDSoftball.
–ND–
Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.