SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped Wednesday’s midweek matchup to Valparaiso, 2-3 in seven innings at Melissa Cook Stadium.
Hayden Kyne hit her third home run of the season, launching a 2-run shot to left center field in the first inning of the game. It was the 20th and 21st RBI of the year for Kyne, who now leads the team.
Kami Kamzik tossed four scoreless innings of relief tonight, allowing just a pair of hits to keep Notre Dame in the game. The junior dropped her ERA to 3.63 on the season, a team-best.
How it happened
Valpo struck first in the top of the first, loading the bases with no outs in the opening frame. But Irish starter Micalea Kastor danced around danger, limiting the Beacons to just one run, in large part due to a 5-2-3 double play turned with the bases juiced with no outs.
Notre Dame wasn’t in a deficit long. In the bottom of the first, Caroline O’Brien hit a single up the middle and then swiped second base. The very next pitch after the stolen base, Hayden Kyne launched her third home run of the year, a towering shot that hit off the scoreboard in left center to make it 2-1 Irish after the first inning of play.
After a scoreless second, the Beacons offense struck again, this time for a pair of runs in the third. Valpo capitalized on a throwing error from Notre Dame with two runners in scoring position, scoring both to retake the lead at 3-2.
Scoring was at a premium in this one. After the two runs in the third, both teams went quiet offensively for the rest of the game. Kami Kamzik pitched four scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits.
Notre Dame had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the seventh. Mickey Winchell and Ava Zachary both legged out infield singles, putting two on with two out for Kyne. On a 1-1 pitch, the freshman ripped one into right field for a base hit. Winchell rounded third and headed home, but a perfect throw from Sophia Leitzen in right threw Wichell out by a couple steps to end the ballgame.