May 19, 2000
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A check swing single by DePaul’s Toni Campbell drove in the game’s only run as DePaul defeated Notre Dame 1-0 Friday in their second game of the NCAA Region 8 Tournament. With the loss, the Irish snapped a 12-game win streak to fall to 47-13, while DePaul improved to 38-20.
The Irish and DePaul, who upset second-seeded Michigan (8-0) earlier in the day, went scoreless through five innings with each starting pitcher, Notre Dame’s Jennifer Sharron (Agoura Hills, Calif.) and DePaul Ashley Ivey, allowing one hit both in the first inning.
Then in the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Demons’ advanced a runner to second base after a walk and a sacrifice bunt. After a line out to left field for the second out, DePaul second baseman Campbell checked her swing and dropped a ball over Irish first baseman Andrea Loman’s (Riverside, Calif.) head just inside the right field line to score pinch runner Molly Sircher from second base.
The Irish had a chance to score in the sixth when freshman Andria Bledsoe (Higley, Ariz.) singled and advanced to second on a ground ball by junior Danielle Klayman (San Diego, Calif.). Pinch hitter Kas Hoag (Wallingford, Conn.) then fouled out to right field and sophomore Jennifer Kriech (Indianapolis, Ind.) grounded out to first base.
In Notre Dame’s last at bat in the seventh, Sharron flied out to left field for the first out, Melanie Alkire (Union City, Calif.) then reached base on an error by the shortstop. Ivey, however, finished the game when Loman ground into a 4-3 double play as the Irish were shutout for the first time this season.
The Irish will face Central Michigan, which lost to Illinois-Chicago after beating Stanford, Saturday at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.
NCAA Region 8 Tournament – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Saturday, May 20
Game 7 – Central Michigan vs. Notre Dame 10 a.m.
Game 8 – Michigan vs. Illinois-Chicago 12:30 p.m.
Game 9 – DePaul vs. Winner Game 7 3:00 p.m.