TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame softball team battled against No. 6/10 Florida State Thursday night, but ultimately fell 2-7. The Irish are now 16-20 on the year and 5-8 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Starting at designated player, freshman Lily Hagan hit a pair of home runs on the night to account for both Irish runs. It was her first career multi-home run game and the first by a Notre Dame player this year. She’s the first Irish freshman since Addison Amaral on April 27, 2024 to hit multiple home runs in a single game.
Fellow freshman Ava Zachary drew three walks, while Mickey Winchell, Caitlyn Early and Caroline O’Brien all logged singles.
In the circle, Notre Dame struck out eight Seminoles on the night, led by five from starter Micaela Kastor.
Notre Dame will look to even the series tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
How it happened
Mickey Winchell led off the game with an infield single, working a seven pitch at-bat to begin the game. After a one-out walk from Ava Zachary, the Irish had two on and one out. But back-to-back strikeouts stranded the pair as Florida State starter Jazzy Francik escaped the threat.
After the Seminoles put three on the board in the bottom of the first half, Lily Hagan didn’t waste any time getting a run back, launching the first pitch of the second inning way over the left field wall and across the street onto Florida State’s campus to cut the Seminole lead to two.
With two in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the second, Kastor dug in, striking out back-to-back Seminoles hitters to dance around danger in the bottom of the second.
Florida State tacked on a pair of runs in the third and fifth innings to make it 7-1.
In the top of the sixth, Hagan launched her second home run of the game, a blast out to left center to make it 7-2 FSU. Hagan then trotted out to the circle to pitch the bottom of the sixth and tossed a scoreless frame.
Zachary drew her third walk of the game in the top of the seventh, but a double play erased her and ended the game for the Seminoles.