April 1, 2006
The University of Notre Dame softball team (16-10) won its first two BIG EAST Conference games of the season over Connecticut (14-13, 4-2) in two distinctly different ways on Saturday afternoon at Ivy Field. The Irish dominated game one 9-0 in five innings, pounding out 11 hits in their first conference game of the season. In game two, freshman Brittney Bargar posted the first eight-inning no-hitter in Notre Dame softball history, keying a 2-1 eight-inning victory for the home team.
The Irish entered the weekend facing the BIG EAST Conference first place team. The Huskies were fresh off two doubleheader sweeps last weekend at Rutgers and Villanova, but Notre Dame jumped all over UConn’s game-one starter, Krista Micalczyk in the bottom of the first inning for five runs on six hits and never looked back.
Game two was defined by pitching, both from Bargar and Connecticut’s Michelle Caouette. Barger kept the Huskies off the basepaths until the sixth inning, when a fielding error, two hit by pitches and a walk forced in the only run of the game for Connecticut. Notre Dame’s lone run before the eighth inning was delivered on solo home run by junior Stephanie Brown.
Conference play will continue tomorrow at Ivy Field when the Irish face Providence at 11 a.m.
GAME ONE RECAP –
The Irish started game one quickly with five consecutive hits off Micalczyk. Brown, freshman Alexandra Kotcheff and senior Mallorie Lenn all posted singles during Notre Dame’s first three at bats. Brown scored on a passed ball, Kotcheff on an error during the passed ball play and Lenn touched home plate on an RBI double by senior Meagan Ruthrauff.
The hit parade continued with a solid RBI double from sophomore Katie Laing. Laing would finish the first game two for three at the plate with three RBI. After freshman Linda Kohan grounded out, senior Sara Schoonaert drove in the fifth run of the first inning with an RBI single.
Notre Dame tacked two more runs on in the third inning on a two-RBI single by freshman designated player Erin Glasco. Kohan had reached on a walk and Schoonaert doubled to set the plate for Glasco.
The final two runs of the game were delivered in the fourth when Kotcheff led off with a single (her third hit of game one), Lenn followed by drawing a walk and after a sacrifice bunt, Laing cleared the bases with a triple into rightfield.
Heather Booth earned the victory in an uneven pitching performance. She walked four and struck out five in four innings, while junior Kenya Fuemmeler finished off the game by pitching the top of the fifth.
GAME TWO RECAP –
Bargar mowed through the first three innings, retiring Connecticut in the order each time and striking out the side in the third inning. The Irish, meanwhile, had a hard time dealing with Caouette. The only baserunner the Irish could muster of the first two innings was Schoonaert, who walked in the second inning and was stranded at second after a stolen base.
Notre Dame finally touched Caouette for a big hit in the third inning. With two outs, Brown stepped in and crushed a 1-0 pitch over the rightfield wall for her third home run of the season and 11th RBI.
For much of game two, the single run was all that Bargar seemed to require for the victory. She would only find herself in trouble in the sixth inning, some of the difficulties self-inflicted and some not.
UConn’s Kim Castner led off the fifth inning and reached on a fielding error by Schoonaert. The Irish shortstop picked the ball up cleanly, but dropped it on the exchange. Pinch runner Kristin Tolles entered the game to run for Castner. Bargar then struck pinch hitter Erica Pernell to put two runners on and then loaded the bases by issuing a walk to lead off hitter Micah Truax.
The Irish finally delivered the first out of the inning on a pop up to third base. With the bases still loaded, Bargar began a multi-pitch battle with UConn’s Allie Gendron. Fouling off several pitches, Gendron worked the count on several close pitch calls. Rearing back on a 2-2 pitch, Bargar painted the outside corner for the huge strikeout and move on out away from escaping the situation.
Unfortunately, the energy Bargar felt from the big strikeout ended up in the wrong direction. She hit Danielle Del Ponte with the next pitch, forcing in the tying run from third base.
Notre Dame could not muster any offense in the bottom of the seventh and the game moved into extra innings. The Irish, however, seemed bolstered by a quick top of the eighth inning worked by Bargar and were determined to score the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
Freshman Stephanie Mola led off with a single up the middle, her second hit of the season. Brown followed up with an infield hit to put runners at first and second with no outs. Kotcheff then executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners up 60 feet and into scoring position.
Connecticut decided to intentionally walk Lenn to give its defense an out at every base. Ruthrauff stepped in needing a hit or sacrifice fly to end the contest. She worked the count full, forcing Caouette to come at her with a 3-2 pitch which Ruthrauff lifted into left-centerfield. Connecticut’s Truax moved over to catch the ball and had her momentum going toward home plate. Mola hustled down the line and, with a solid slide around Del Ponte blocking the plate, scored the game-winning run.
DOUBLEHEADER NOTES: Brittney Bargar’s no-hitter in game two is the 36th in Notre Dame softball history, 25th solo and first thrown by a freshman since Kristin Schmidt shut out Toledo in 2001 … as stated before, it is the first eight-inning no-hitter thrown in Irish history … she worked eight innings, allowing one run, walking one and striking out six … the first 15 outs of the game were recorded by Bargar via four strikeouts and eight ground balls … Alexandra Kotcheff finished game one three for three with three singles … Stephanie Brown stole her 12th base of the season and is perfect in base stealing opportunities (12-12) … Sara Schoonaert finished game one two for three with an RBI single … freshman Stephanie Mola started her second career game in the defensive lineup in game two, playing rightfield … she was solid on two defensive chances and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning … freshman Erin Glasco showed signs of breaking out of her season-long slump, going two for five in the doubleheader with two RBI.