SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped the opening game of the 2023 ACC Championship Tournament at Melissa Cook Stadium Wednesday evening by a score of 8-1 to the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets. Georgia Tech put up runs in five of seven innings to secure the victory and advance to face Duke in the second round. With the loss, the Fighting Irish fall to 29-17-1 on the season.
Payton Tidd started in the circle. The graduate student worked 2.2 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, only two of which were earned. Shannon Becker worked the next 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs and recording a strikeout. Micaela Kastor threw the final frame, working a clean seventh with a strikeout.
The Irish offense managed just five hits. Joley Mitchell connected on a lead-off home run in the fourth, as Lexi Orozco, Leea Hanks, Jane Kronenberger and Mickey Winchell each added singles in the contest.
How it Happened
The Yellowjackets struck first, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back singles started the inning before a fielding error on a bunt attempt loaded the bases. Two more singles brought in two runs as Georgia Tech took the 2-0 lead.
Georgia Tech added a run in the second. With one out, a single and a stolen base moved a runner into scoring position for Emma Kauf who drove a double to left center to bring in a run to extend the lead to 3-0.
A pair of errors led to two more Georgia Tech runs in the third inning, extending the lead to 5-0. A single and a walk started the top of the fourth. A single to left scored one, and another bloop single to center scored another to extend the lead to 7-0.
Mitchell led off the fourth inning with a bang, hitting her 10th home run of the season. A couple more singles had a rally going, but the Irish offense couldn’t break through.
Georgia Tech regained their seven-run cushion with a solo run in the sixth by virtue of a pinch hit sacrifice fly.
Notre Dame drew a two-out walk in the seventh, but the rally fell short as the Irish dropped the contest.
Up Next
The Irish await their postseason fate Sunday evening. The NCAA selection show will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.