ATLANTA, Ga. – The University of Notre Dame softball team rallied in the seventh inning and held on to earn its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory of the season Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Irish took an early lead, before the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets took the lead in the sixth. The Irish battled back to score five runs in the seventh inning to secure the win over the 25th ranked Yellowjackets.
Alexis Laudenslager started in the circle, pitching into the seventh inning. The graduate transfer threw six-plus innings, allowing seven hits, three earned runs and striking out three before giving way to Shannon Becker. Becker got the final three outs of the contest to earn her fourth save of the season.
The Irish offense was led by a trio of two-hit efforts. Karina Gaskins went 2-for-3 with two RBI, scored twice and drew a walk, driving in the game-winning runs in the seventh with two outs. Carlli Kloss added a 2-for-4 effort, driving in a run and scoring once. Addison Amaral finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and scored a run, adding insurance runs late with a two-run homer. Cassidy Grimm, Anna Holloway and Mickey Winchell each added a hit in the contest.
How It Happened
Notre Dame used a two-out rally in the first inning to plate the game’s first run. Gaskins singled to center, followed by an Amaral single and Kronenberger worked a walk to load the bases. Grimm came up with a base knock to center to bring in Gaskins and put the Irish up 1-0 in the first frame.
After four scoreless innings, Georgia Tech took the lead in the sixth, scoring three runs. A walk and a single put two on with two outs as the Yellowjacket catcher homered to take the 3-1 lead.
The Irish punched back in the seventh to take the lead. Holloway got the rally going, catching an inside pitch on the hands and driving it to left field for a single, and Winchell singled to center field to put two on. Kloss cut into the lead with a single through the right side and took second on the throw. Gaskins delivered the game-winning run with a double to right center, scoring Kloss from second. Amaral followed with some insurance, hitting her seventh home run of the season to put Notre Dame up 6-3.
The bottom of the seventh saw Georgia Tech put something together. The bottom of the Yellowjacket order connected on back-to-back singles to put two on as the Irish went to the bullpen to face the lead-off . Becker came on and struck out the first hitter she faced. Mallorie Black was next to dig into the batter’s box. The nation’s leader in slugging percentage lifted a fly ball to the warning track in left field where Tran made the play at the base of the wall for the second out. Becker worked a full count to Sara Beth Allen, before getting a ground ball to Grimm at third to retire the side and secure the win.
Up Next
The Irish and Yellowjackets close the three-game series Sunday afternoon with a 3 p.m. start at Mewborn Field, with the game live on ACC Network.