SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The 24th-ranked University of Notre Dame softball team gave up four runs in the final inning and suffered a 9-8 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets Friday night. The Fighting Irish overcame a 4-0 deficit through the first three innings to take the lead, but couldn’t hold off the feisty Yellowjacket squad. Notre Dame falls to 25-7 on the season, and 5-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It’s the first loss in the last 23 games at Melissa Cook Stadium.
Due to inclement weather, Saturday’s game between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech has been moved up to a noon start time.
Senior Payton Tidd got the start in the circle. She worked 2.1 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, three earned and struck out three before giving way to Alexis Holloway. Holloway threw the next 4.0 innings, striking out three, allowing two hits, three runs, two earned. Shannon Becker suffered the loss, throwing the final 0.2 innings, allowing a hit, a walk and two unearned runs.
The Irish offense continued its hot hitting, connecting on 12 base hits in the contest. Brooke Marquez led the lineup from the bottom of the card, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and scored twice. Emma Clark and Abby Sweet each notched two-hit games. Leea Hanks, Jane Kronenberger, Joley Mitchell, Carlli Kloss and Holloway all added a hit in the effort.
The Yellowjackets scored a solo run in the top of the second inning for the first run of the day. A lead-off walk came around to score on a single from Jin Sileo. Georgia Tech added three more runs in the top of the third. Four hits and a couple Irish errors aided the Yellowjackets as Georgia Tech took the lead 4-0.
Marquez started the rally for the Irish in the bottom of the third, leading off with a double over the head of the center fielder. Hanks followed with a single to left before two infield singles loaded the bases. Kronenberger drove an 0-2 pitch to left field to score two and moved to second on the throw to keep two in scoring position. Holloway got her first at bat at home this season and drove a double to the wall in left field to take the lead 5-4 after three innings.
Marquez again did damage from the nine-spot, leading off the fourth inning with a home run to center field, her second in as many games to extend the lead to 6-4. After a pitching change, a hit batter, a single and a walk loaded the bases. Mitchell singled back to the pitcher to bring in a run and extend the lead to 7-4.
Georgia Tech got a run back in the top of the sixth as a lead-off walk came in to score after a pair of groundouts moved her up and a single brought her in.
The Irish took advantage of a pair of Georgia Tech errors to answer in the sixth. The first two hitters reached on an error, and a bunt single loaded them up. A wild pitch brought in Emily Tran who was pinch running for Gaskins to extend the lead back to three at 8-5.
In the seventh, Georgia Tech took advantage of three walks, a hit batter and an error to score three and a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third scored the game-winning run.
The Irish put the winning run on base in the bottom of the inning, but couldn’t bring it home.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action tomorrow against Georgia Tech for the second game of the series at noon at Melissa Cook Stadium.