April 3, 2013
G1: Notre Dame 8, Georgetown 2
G2:Notre Dame 15, Georgetown 3
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team completed its second straight conference sweep Wednesday, downing Georgetown 8-2 and 15-3 at Guy Mason Field.
The first win of the day against the Hoyas was the 1,000th victory in program history. Notre Dame is 1,001-446-3 since its inception in 1989.
Laura Winter (13-6) pitched a gem in game one, allowing two runs on two hits in a complete game start, striking out 12 Georgetown hitters. Winter retired the final 20 batters she faced. The junior right-hander added a home run and six RBI at the plate during the day.
Brittany O’Donnell (9-2) tossed six shutout innings after Georgetown put up three runs in the opening inning of game two. O’Donnell yielded two walks and struck out seven Hoya batters.
Emilee Koerner and Kelsey Thornton led Notre Dame (24-8, 5-0 BIG EAST) with six hits each, while Jenna Simon scored a team-high five runs.
The Irish host Villanova in a three-game BIG EAST Conference series this weekend at Melissa Cook Stadium.
–Game 1–
Shikara Lowe crushed a solo home run to straight away center field in the bottom of the first inning, putting Georgetown (13-22, 3-2 BIG EAST) in front 2-0. Laura Winter struck out Alexandria Anttila swinging and Hannah Slovacek looking to end the frame.
Kathryn Lux ripped a one-out double to center field in the top of the second inning, moving Lauren Stuhr to third base and giving the Irish their first hit of the afternoon. Notre Dame was unable to capitalize, as Hoya starter Lauren O’Leary retired Cassidy Whidden and Kelsey Thornton to halt the threat.
The Irish mowed through the Georgetown order in the bottom of the second inning, as Winter struck out the Hoyas in order to cap the 1-2-3 frame.
Notre Dame answered in the top of the third after Emilee Koerner led off with a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt by Jenna Simon pushed Koerner into scoring position. Amy Buntin drove a 3-1 O’Leary delivery through the right side for an RBI single, scoring Koerner from second base (2-1).
Winter retired the side for the third straight inning in the bottom of the fourth. Lowe popped out to Chloe Saganowich at shortstop, Anttila flew out to Stuhr in left and Slovacek struck out looking.
With two on and two out in the top of the fifth, Winter blasted a 0-2 pitch from Megan Hyson (4-11) over the left field fence for her team-high ninth home run of the season, vaulting Notre Dame in front 4-2.
After Whidden was hit by a pitch and Thornton reached on a bunt single with two away in the top of the sixth inning, Koerner laced an RBI single through the right side to up the Irish lead to 5-2. Simon followed with a bases clearing triple to extend the Notre Dame advantage to 7-2. A Georgetown passed ball with Buntin at the plate allowed Simon to score from third base (8-2).
–Game 2–
Notre Dame loaded the bases in the top of the first inning against Megan Hyson (4-12). Emilee Koerner opened the game with a leadoff double to the gap in right center, and Jenna Simon followed with a successful slap single. After Simon stole second base, Amy Buntin drew a walk to load the bases. Laura Winter kept her run-producing day at the dish rolling with a two-run single that scored Koerner and Simon to give the Irish a 2-0 lead. A Kathryn Lux sacrifice fly plated Buntin to up the advantage to 3-0.
Georgetown tied the score in the bottom of the first inning on a three-run home run by Alexandria Anttila. Irish starter Brittany O’Donnell forced Hannah Slovacek to line out back to the circle and struck out Madeleine Giaquinto swinging to escape the jam at 3-3.
The Irish retook the lead in the top of the second on an RBI single to third base by Buntin (4-3). Winter followed with a single before Katey Haus laced a two-run double to left center that scored both runners and put Notre Dame on top 6-3.
O’Donnell kept the Hoyas at bay in the bottom of the second inning, retiring the side in order to maintain Notre Dame’s 6-3 cushion.
A Hyson wild pitch scored both Buntin and Simon to give the Irish an 8-3 lead in the top of the fourth. Lauren Stuhr plated pinch runner Carly Piccinich later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to left field (9-3).
Buntin delivered another RBI single in the top of the fifth inning, scoring pinch runner Monica Torres from third base to up the Notre Dame lead to 10-3.
Georgetown loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, but O’Donnell forced Hyson to pop out to the circle to strand all three Hoya runners.
The Irish offense erupted for five runs in the top of the seventh, punctuated by a two-run single off the bat of Micaela Arizmendi, to extend the lead to 15-3.
–ND–