SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team earned a 4-1 win in the first game of the three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series Friday night at Melissa Cook Stadium. The Fighting Irish got another quality start from Payton Tidd in the circle, and consistent offense helped put the game away late. Notre Dame improves to 33-9 on the season, and 11-5 in the ACC.
Tidd worked the full 7.0 innings in the circle, her eighth complete game of the season. She allowed just four hits, an unearned run and tied a season-best with eight strikeouts in the win.
The offense knocked out 10 hits in the game from eight starters. Emma Clark and Leea Hanks each tallied two hits, Clark drove in a run and scored once. Karina Gaskins added a two RBI double, and Miranda Johnson drove in a run with a fielder’s choice.
The Irish struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Joley Mitchell drove a double to the gap in right center and moved up on a ground ball. She scored when Johnson tapped a grounder back to second and slid in in front of the tag for the run.
Notre Dame added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to Gaskins. Abby Sweet, Clark and Hanks had three-straight singles to load the bases with no outs for the Irish first baseman who drove a double down the right field line to score two and extend the lead to 3-0.
North Carolina got on the board in the sixth. A lead-off double brought the rain as the game entered a rain delay of over an hour after the lead-off hitter. When play resumed, a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third before an error brought in the run from third to cut into the lead.
The Irish got their three-run cushion back in the bottom of the frame. Quinn Biggio pinch hit and drew a walk to turn the lineup over. Clark drove a triple to right center to bring in Biggio and extend the lead to 4-1.
Tidd shut the door in the seventh, retiring North Carolina in order to close out the victory.
Up Next
The Irish and Tar Heels will continue the series Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Melissa Cook Stadium.