SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped the final game of the series to Virginia Sunday afternoon. The Fighting Irish couldn’t overcome some defensive miscues as the Irish drop the series with the 6-3 loss. Notre Dame falls to 22-14 overall, and 7-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Micaela Kastor started in the circle, throwing into the fourth inning. The sophomore finished with two strikeouts, allowing a pair of hits and three unearned runs. Alexis Laudenslager was first on in relief, finishing out the fourth. She allowed a pair of hits and struck out two as two unearned runs scored. Shannon Becker finished the game out. The junior threw 3.0 innings, allowing three hits and an earned run.
The Irish offense had nine hits in the contest, led by a pair of multi-hit efforts. Jane Kronenberger finished 3-for-3 with a double. Carlli Kloss went 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run. Cassidy Grimm, Addison Amaral, Karina Gaskins and Rachel Allen each added a hit in the contest. Allen drove in two runs on a pinch hit double.
How It Happened
Virginia took the lead in the third with a single run. An error allowed a runner to take first and a double to left center put the Cavaliers up 1-0.
The Irish responded in the home half. With runners on the corners, Kloss drove a single to right to bring in a run and tie the game.
The Cavaliers again took advantage of an Irish miscue in the fourth. A single, an error and a walk loaded the bases as a run came in with a bases loaded walk. A triple cleared the bases and put UVA up 5-1. A solo homer in the fifth extended the lead to 6-1.
Notre Dame battled back, scoring a pair of runs in the fifth. A lead-off single from Kloss and a single up the middle from Gaskins put runners on the corners. Gaskins was lifted for a pinch runner who scored from first when Allen stepped in and knocked a double down the left field line to cut the lead to 6-3.
The Irish put a couple runners on in the sixth, but an out on the bases and a ground ball erased the threat. Notre Dame failed to mount a rally in the final frame.
Up Next
The Irish are back at Melissa Cook Stadium Tuesday evening as they will take on Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m.