CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Notre Dame softball team didn’t start off Atlantic Coast Conference season as expected, falling in both ends of a doubleheader with the Virginia Cavaliers at Palmer Park Friday evening. The Fighting Irish fall to 16-6 on the season, and 0-2 in ACC play. Notre Dame led for a majority of the game one before Virginia rallied in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 7-5 walk-off win. The Cavaliers rode that momentum into the second game, as the Irish fell 6-1.
Alexis Holloway suffered the loss in the circle. The graduate student threw 6.2 innings, allowing eight hits, seven earned runs to go with five strikeouts.
Leea Hanks led the offense from the top of the lineup in the first contest. The lead-off hitter finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and a walk. Cassidy Grimm added a 2-for-4 game with a double, an RBI and scored once. Emma Clark finished 1-for-3 with two RBI as Joley Mitchell and Shelby Grimm each scored a run.
Payton Tidd started the nightcap, throwing six innings, scattering eight hits, allowing six runs, three earned and struck out three as she suffered the loss.
Four of the Irish earned hits as Notre Dame got singles from Clark, Sweet and Tidd in the second game. Karina Gaskins connected on her fifth home run of the season late in the game.
Hanks and the Irish didn’t waste any time in game one as she jumped on the first pitch and drove it down the left field line for a lead-off double. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third and a ground ball brought her in to give Notre Dame the early 1-0 lead.
After exchanging zeros for the next three innings, Virginia took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. A lead-off walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases for the top of the order. After a strikeout, Lauren VanAssche caught an off-speed pitch off the end of the bat, but dropped it on the dirt behind third base to score two that were off with contact.
Notre Dame answered in the sixth, scoring four runs. With one out, Gaskins drove a double down the right field line and was pinch ran for by Shelby Grimm. Cassidy Grimm followed with a double to left center to bring in the Shelby Grimm and tie the game. After a pinch-hit walk by Quinn Biggio, Joley Mitchell got the call. She drove a fly ball to right field where it was misplayed, allowing one to score. After an intentional walk to Hanks, Clark drove a single back up the middle to score two and extend the lead to 5-2.
UVA wouldn’t go quietly as they rallied in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs and won with a walk-off three run home run by Abby Weaver.
In the nightcap, The Cavaliers took an early lead, plating four runs in the second inning, three unearned. They added to the lead with a two-run double in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-0.
Gaskins hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the seventh, but that was it for the Irish offense.
Up Next
The Irish will wrap up the series with the Cavaliers Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. on ACC Network.