CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The University of Notre Dame softball team suffered an 8-2 loss to the No. 25 Oregon Ducks Friday evening at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. With the loss, the Fighting Irish fell to 6-5 on the season.
Micaela Kastor started in the circle. She suffered the loss, throwing 3.0 innings, allowing eight hits, three earned runs and struck out two. Alexis Laudenslager made her first relief appearance as a member of the Irish. She threw the final 4.0 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, four earned and striking out two.
The Irish offense had five hits from five individuals. Addison Amaral made the most of her lone hit, leading off the fourth inning with her third homer of the season. Carlli Kloss, Karina Gaskins, Cassidy Grimm and Anna Holloway each added a hit in the contest.
How It Happened
The Ducks scored first in the top of the second inning. A leadoff single and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position as Emma Kauf singled up the middle to bring in the run. Kastor worked out of a bases loaded jam, limiting the damage to just a run on four hits.
Oregon got two more home in the top of the third. A ball hit down the left field line was ruled fair, and bounced to the fence as the Irish left fielder’s diving attempt caused a collision with the foul line fence, as the Oregon hitter hustled around for an inside the park home run. A conventional homer followed as the Ducks took a 3-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Oregon loaded the bases with a couple infield hits and a walk before getting a big two-out hit, driving in two and a misplay in the outfield bringing in the third run to extend the lead to 6-0.
Amaral got the Irish on the board in the bottom of the fourth, hitting her team-leading third home run of the season to leadoff the frame.
Oregon responded, mounting a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. A walk and an infield single put two on with two outs. A double to left center scored the two and extended the lead to 8-1.
The Irish got a run back in the bottom of the frame. Kloss blooped a fly ball behind second for a hustle double and scored on a Gaskins single the other way to cut it to 8-2.
The teams traded zeroes over the final two innings as Oregon secured the win.
Up Next
Notre Dame concludes the weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Saturday evening as they are scheduled take on Oregon State at 6 p.m., and #20 Utah at 9 p.m.