Notre Dame Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team defeated one of the hottest teams in NCAA softball Friday night. The Fighting Irish earned a 5-4 win over the No. 12/14 Duke Blue Devils, who entered the contest on a 12-game winning streak. It’s the second win over a ranked opponent for the 2023 Irish team as Notre Dame improves to 11-4 overall and begins Atlantic Coast Conference play 1-0.
Payton Tidd started in the circle, throwing 6.0 innings. The graduate student allowed eight hits, four runs, two earned and struck out six to equal her win total for the season. Micaela Kastor came on and threw a perfect seventh inning earning her second save to go with a strikeout.
The Irish offense was led by a pair of two-hit efforts. Carlli Kloss finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and Lexi Orozco added a 2-for-4 effort. Orozco drove in two and scored a run with a home run in the first inning. Karina Gaskins added two RBI to go with a hit and a run scored.
How It Happened
The Irish didn’t waste any time getting on the board, scoring three in the first inning. Kloss got things rolling with a single through the right side and moved up on a ground ball. Gaskins drove her in with a single to right center for the first run of the game. Orozco got the barrel out and hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season to put Notre Dame up 3-0.
Duke answered in its half of the first, scoring a run. A lead-off double scored on an RBI single from the cleanup hitter to cut the lead to 3-1. The Blue Devils added another run in the second as a strikeout reached on a ball in the dirt. A fly ball to shallow center field found the grass past an outstretched Irish defender, scoring one to cut the lead to 3-2.
Notre Dame got back on the board in the fourth. Orozco got things started with a single to left center and was pinch ran for by Emily Tran. Tidd was hit by a pitch to move Tran into scoring position. Joley Mitchell chopped a ground ball up the middle where the Blue Devils secured the out at second. With Tran running from contact, she scored on the fielder’s choice to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Blue Devils got the run back in their half of the fourth. A walk, a traditional single and a bunt single loaded the bases. A foul out to left scored the first run before a strikeout recorded the second out. Gisele Tapia hit Tidd’s offering hard, but the batted ball hit the runner at second for the third out of the inning as the Irish led the 4-3 lead after four innings.
The Irish got the two-run cushion back in the top of the fifth. A single through the right side of the infield for Leea Hanks started the inning as Kloss reached with a bunt single. A hit batter loaded the bases for Gaskins who drew her 15th walk of the season to extend the lead to 5-3. Duke’s pitcher buckled down, striking out the next three hitters to limit the damage.
Duke rallied again in its half of the sixth. The lead-off hitter reached on a fielding error and scored when Kairi Rodriguez pinch hit and doubled down the left field line to cut the lead to 5-4 with an inning to play.
After the Irish couldn’t add on in the top of the frame, the freshman took over in the circle. Kastor worked a clean seventh to secure the win. She recorded a strikeout, a ground out to second and a lineout to second to wrap up the action.
Up Next
Notre Dame and Duke are back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Duke Softball Stadium.