EVANSTON, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame dropped the opening game of the NCAA Evanston Regional 11-1 in five innings to the Southland Conference Champion McNeese Cowgirls Friday afternoon. The Fighting Irish gave up 10 runs in the first inning and couldn’t rebound, dropping their 11th contest of the season. Notre Dame is now 39-11.
Senior Payton Tidd started in the circle, allowing five runs while throwing a third of an inning. Alexis Holloway came on in relief, allowing five unearned runs, throwing 1.2 innings and six hits. Shannon Becker came on to throw the final three innings, allowing just two hits and an earned run.
The Irish offense managed five hits in the game, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Emma Clark. Leea Hanks had the lone extra-base hit with a double in the fifth inning. Abby Sweet and Carlli Kloss each had an infield hit in the game.
The Cowgirls came out swinging in the first inning as McNeese took a 10-0 lead. McNeese sent 14 hitters to the dish, connecting on eight hits and capitalizing on two Irish errors.
Notre Dame got on the board in the bottom of the second. A lead-off single from Sweet moved around on a couple ground balls and scored when Kloss legged out an infield hit.
McNeese scored a run in the fifth with runners on the corners, as the runner from first tried to steal second and stayed in the run down long enough for the run to score.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action Saturday at 3:30 (ET) for an elimination game against the loser of the Oakland and Northwestern game that will be played later this afternoon.