Feb. 26, 2011
Game 1: Box Score | Box Score 
Game 2: Box Score | Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – Jody Valdivia punched out 11 batters during a 2-0 win over College of Charleston and Laura Winter added eight strikeouts as Notre Dame downed Iowa State, 1-0, in non-conference softball action at the Cougar Classic. The double-shutout Saturday at Patriots Point boosted Notre Dame’s overall record to 7-0, as the Irish continue to chase the program’s record for best start in a season of 8-0 set in 2001.
Notre Dame finishes the Cougar Classic at 9:00 a.m. (ET) against Marist followed by an 11:00 p.m. meeting against Liberty on Sunday.
Live stats will be available at UND.com.
-Game 1-
Valdivia tamed the Cougars (6-5) with 11 strikeouts while facing 24 batters in the complete-game effort to improve her record from the rubber to 3-0. The Cougars managed two hits but failed to draw a walk, though a pair of batters made it on base courtesy of Irish errors.
Alex Datko (3-2) went 7.0 innings and saw six hits leave Notre Dame’s bats. Datko struck out two and allowed two earned runs to cross the plate.
Heather Johnson doubled in the first but was left on base.
Notre Dame made up for it in the second starting with an Amy Buntin single, her sixth straight hit in as many plate appearances. Brianna Jorgensborg was hit by a pitch and Buntin went on to steal third before Winter drove her home with a sacrifice fly.
Johnson singled to left in the third and scored Alexa Maldonado, who doubled to start the inning. Johnson tried to squeeze in an extra base but was thrown out while hustling to second.
Valdivia struck out the side in the second and third innings, wrapping up the latter with a 12-pitch battle against Kristi Woodall that resulted in a called third strike.
Two more strikeouts in the fifth were tacked on to Valdivia’s total.
Maldonado and Johnson each finished with two hits, and Carly Corthell recorded both of the Cougars’ knocks.
-Game 2-
The nightcap with Iowa State (8-5) was short and sweet for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame spent the first three innings peppering the warning track while battling a thick and humid night air, and again it was Buntin who started the Irish rally. Buntin’s two-out single down the leftfield line brought home Katie Fleury in the fourth to put the Irish on the board.
It would prove to be the game-winning – and only – run of the contest.
Fleury, Johnson, Buntin and Jorgensborg each had hits for Notre Dame.
Winter (3-0) kept the Cyclones at bay behind a two-hitter that was highlighted with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Rachel Zabriskie (4-2) gave up four hits and one earned run in 6.0 innings.
–ND–