CLEMSON, S.C. – Alexis Holloway threw her second no-hitter of the season, third solo no-hitter of her career as the 21st-ranked University of Notre Dame softball team evened the series with 14th-ranked Clemson Friday night with a 4-0 win. This was Holloway’s second seven-inning no-hitter of her career and her second in Atlantic Coast Conference action. The Fighting Irish improve to 31-8 on the season and move to 10-4 in ACC play.
Holloway threw all seven innings without allowing a hit. She surrendered four base runners in the contest, with three walks and a hit batter. She added six strikeouts in the victory. It marks the first time that the Clemson softball program has been no hit in its brief history. Holloway’s first ACC no hitter came her freshman year against NC State on March 10th.
The Irish offense managed eight hits in the contest. Abby Sweet led the charge with a 2-for-3 effort, driving in two and scoring a run of her own. Joley Mitchell added a 2-for-3 performance from the eight-spot of the lineup. Leea Hanks, Emma Clark, Karina Gaskins and Miranda Johnson all added a hit in the win.
After three scoreless innings, the Irish got the scoring started in the top of the fourth. Clark, Sweet and Gaskins hit back-to-back-to-back doubles to put Notre Dame up 2-0.
The Irish doubled up their lead the following inning. Marquez started the frame as she reached on an error on a pop up in the infield. A Hanks single moved her up and a ground ball to the right side put two in scoring position. Sweet hit a slow roller back to the shortstop. She beat the throw to first that was wild, allowing Hanks to score on the play to put the Irish up 4-0.
Holloway shut Clemson down in the bottom of the fifth with two strikeouts and a ground out. The Tigers put the lead-off hitter on in the sixth, but a strikeout a fielder’s choice and a fly out ended the threat.
In the seventh, Holloway quickly got a ground ball back up the middle that she handled herself before striking out the clean-up hitter looking. After an error allowed a runner to reach, she got a ground ball to Johnson at second base who recorded the final out for the no-hitter.
Up Next
The Irish and Clemson close out the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m.