Feb. 24, 2018
by Tony Jones
ND-UW Box Score 
| ND-SDSU Box Score
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The University of Notre Dame softball team suffered a pair of setbacks on Friday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, dropping an 8-0 decision to No. 1/3 Washington and a 2-1 final to San Diego State at Fenway Field.
The No. 25 Irish (6-7) close the tournament against former BIG EAST foe St. John’s on Saturday at noon (3 p.m. ET) on Pawtucket Field at the Big League Dreams Sports Complex.
How It Happened
Washington
Madison Heide ripped her first career double down the left field line with one out in the top of the third inning, giving the Notre Dame offense a shot in the arm. A swinging strikeout and groundout to shortstop held the Irish in check.
After Washington raced out to a 7-0 lead after three innings, Cait Brooks entered the circle in relief for Notre Dame and spun a scoreless bottom of the fourth. A pair of flyouts began the frame for Brooks, and a throwing error that prolonged the inning was erased with a strikeout looking.
An infield single for Melissa Rochford in the top of the fifth looked to put Notre Dame in business with two outs on the board. A swinging strikeout stopped the Irish progress.
San Diego State
Alexis Holloway retired the San Diego State side in order in the bottom of the first inning. Two infield groundouts and a swinging strikeout sat down the Aztecs. Holloway would then work around a walk and fielding error in the bottom of the second to leave two San Diego State runners stranded.
Notre Dame claimed the lead in the top of the third. Holloway reached by way of a two-out error, stole second base, and was ultimately driven in on an Abby Sweet RBI single to give the Irish a 1-0 advantage.
A swinging strikeout with a runner aboard limited the damage for Holloway in the bottom of the third inning. Two Aztec hits in the bottom of the fourth were also erased by a swinging strikeout with two away to keep Notre Dame in control.
San Diego State pushed across both of its runs on two hits in the bottom of the fifth inning, and then limited Notre Dame to two baserunners for the remainder of the game to take the win.
Up Next
The Irish conclude play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at the Big League Dreams Sports Complex on Saturday against St. John’s at noon (3 p.m. ET).
–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, men’s soccer and swimming and diving 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.