April 3, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Already the winningest coach in program history, softball skipper Deanna Gumpf notched her 400th career victory with a 9-0 five-inning win over Providence Sunday at Melissa Cook Stadium. Now in her 10th season, Gumpf is 400-172-1 (.699) overall after sweeping the weekend’s three-game BIG EAST Conference series with the Friars.
Gumpf’s milestone win came behind a combined shutout from the circle by pitchers Laura Winter and Jody Valdivia. The Irish (21-7 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST) offense posted 12 hits and scored at least once in each of the five innings.
Providence (13-20, 1-5) left a runner on second in the first inning as Winter (11-2) fanned three batters en route to an eight strikeout day from the circle. Winter also struck out the side in the second. Valdivia allowed one hit in the fifth frame.
Heather Johnson punched in an RBI single up the middle in the first to score Alexia Clay from second. Clay was walked and moved to second on a wild pitch by Alicia Grosso (8-11).
Clay returned the favor to her teammates with a three-RBI double that flashed down the leftfield line in the second. Grosso walked Brianna Jorgensborg and Lauren Stuhr while loading the bases after giving up an infield bunt single to Alexa Maldonado.
Katie Fleury padded her stats in the third with a hit, stolen base and run scored.
Clay and Johnson both went to opposite field with two-out singles in the fourth, and Dani Miller brought home a pair of runs with a double to left-center.
Sitting on a 7-0 lead, Notre Dame used consecutive pinch-hit singles by Sadie Pitzenberger, Chloe Saganowich and Erin Marrone in the bottom of the fifth. Maldonado’s second hit of the game – a two-RBI double to the wall – permitted the Irish to win by the mercy rule in the abbreviated contest.
Clay led all players with three RBI during her 2-for-2 effort at the dish. She also scored twice, as did Jorgensborg.
Notre Dame travels to Wisconsin for a 4:00 p.m. (CT) game on Tuesday.
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