SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped Sunday’s neutral site matchup against Princeton, 1-4. The Irish fell to 9-15 overall this season.
Caroline O’Brien scored the lone run for Notre Dame while also recording a pair of hits, including a triple. Mickey Winchell also tallied a multi-hit game.
The Irish continue their California swing on Wednesday against UC Santa Barbara at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on ESPN+. Notre Dame is 7-1 all-time against the Gauchos.
How it happened
Brianne Weiss made the start for the Irish and tossed a 1-2-3 top of the first inning.
Notre Dame got on the board first in the bottom of the second thanks to Caroline O’Brien. The sophomore tripled to right center with one out and trotted home on an RBI fielder’s choice from Olivia Levitt to make it 1-0 Irish after two.
The Tigers tied the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly before taking the lead in the top of the fifth off an unearned run that made it 2-1 Princeton after five innings.
Kami Kamzik relieved Weiss in the third inning. Kamzik came into the weekend with a 1.56 ERA out of the bullpen so far this year and didn’t allow an earned run in her 3.1 innings today.
Ava Zachary led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single to try to spark the Irish offense. After a pair of outs, O’Brien lined a single into left field to put two on, two out for Levitt. On a 2-1 count, Levitt lined one back up the middle, but right at Princeton pitcher Cassidy Shaw who snagged it for the out to escape the Irish threat.
The Tigers added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh before shutting the door on a Notre Dame comeback attempt.