SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team looks to right the ship this weekend as it heads to Madeira Beach, Florida for six contests at THE Spring Games. The event will take place at the R.O.C. Park. The Fighting Irish will take on the UT Martin Skyhawks Friday, the FIU Panthers and Siena Saints Saturday and close the weekend with FIU and the Dartmouth Big Green. Notre Dame was scheduled to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies Friday morning, but travel issues for Oakland have forced the cancelation of the first game of the weekend.
The Irish enter the weekend with a 5-4 overall record, dropping three of four games at the ACC/B1G Challenge at Clemson over the weekend. Notre Dame began the 2023 season at San Diego State, winning four of five games, including a win over then #22 Arizona State on opening night.
Jane Kronenberger leads the Irish offense, hitting at a .419 clip through the first nine games. She leads the team with 13 hits, three for extra bases and is tied with lead-off hitter Carlli Kloss for a team-best seven runs scored. Kloss adds a .355 average with a team-best three doubles. She’s tied with shortstop Lexi Orozco for the team-lead with two home runs and seven RBI.
The pitching staff is led by fifth-year pitcher Payton Tidd. Tidd’s worked a team-best 26.2 innings, appearing in five games, starting three and throwing a Notre Dame’s only complete game to this point in the season all while earning a 2.62 ERA. Shannon Becker and Micaela Kastor each have appeared in a team-best six games. Kastor leads the staff with a 1.17 ERA in 12.0 innings and adds eight strikeouts. Becker has started a team-best four games, throwing 22.0 innings to go with 18 strikeouts and a .235 average against. Paige Cowley made her first appearance in the circle last weekend, working 2.0 innings and picking up a strikeout.
UT Martin Skyhawks
The Skyhawks enter the weekend with a 1-4 overall mark, having lost four-straight after opening the season with a 4-1 win over Kennesaw State. UT Martin dropped three one-run games to Green Bay and Kansas City and lost their final game of last weekend 2-0 to Green Bay.
Kaci Fuller leads the Skyhawk offense with a .632 batting average, starting all five games. Fuller owns a team-best three home runs to go with two doubles and a triple and seven RBI. Katie Dreiling adds a .333 average in five games, earning a .556 on-base percentage. The Skyhawks hit for a .291 team average with 18 runs scored.
Five pitchers have taken the circle for UT Martin, four having earned a start. Dreiling has two starts and a 1-1 record having thrown in 9.1 innings. She adds seven strikeouts and owns a 8.96 ERA. Brooklynn Linneman and Emily Brown each own a 1.80 ERA. Linneman has thrown 10.0 innings, striking out 11 hitters and limiting opponents to .167 average against. Brown has thrown 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and earned the team’s only save. Kiersten Nixon adds a 4.76 ERA in 5.2 innings of work and three strikeouts.
FIU Panthers
The Panthers are the only team that the Irish will matchup with twice on the weekend. FIU owns a 6-5 record, with wins over Kansas City twice, Georgia State, Stetson and two over Butler. FIU is 0-4 against ACC opponents, finishing games against Clemson and Pittsburgh early due to the mercy rule.
FIU’s offense is led by Brooke McCann, hitting at a .476 average in 21 at bats. She leads the team with seven RBI owns a .538 on-base percentage. Logan Turner adds a .294 average taking more of an active role as of late, starting six games total. Makayla Navarro leads the team with nine runs scored, stealing six bases. She’s played in all 11 games, owning a .280 batting average with a double and a triple.
A quartet of pitchers have logged innings in the circle this season. Ella Whitney leads the team with eight appearances, throwing 25.2 innings and owning a 4.36 ERA. Brooke Nichols is 3-0 on the year with a 4.85 ERA. She’s logged 21.2 innings as opponents hit .348 against her. Sydney Birling has a team-high seven starts, throwing 14.0 innings and owning a 8.00 ERA. She leads the team with 12 strikeouts on the season. Megan Kruger adds a 3.50 ERA in 10.0 innings.
Siena Saints
Siena sports an unblemished 5-0 mark on the season, winning games against Monmouth and North Carolina Central last weekend. 2022 saw the Saints go 32-23, finishing as the runner-up in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
As a team, the Saints hit for a .288 average led by McKenzie Swinson. Swinson owns a .667 average, going 6-for-9 with two extra base hits. Swinson and Ava Fitzmaurice each have a team-best five RBI as both have the Saints’ only two home runs. Fitzmaurice owns a .571 average with six runs scored, two doubles and a triple to go with her long ball. The Saints have swiped 18 bases on 21 attempts this season, with three players owning four stolen bases.
Five pitchers have owned the circle for the Saints, led by Nicole Patille. Patille has started two games, owning a 0.75 ERA, allowing just one earned run in 9.1 innings. She’s struck out nine hitters and holds opponents to a .133 average against. Fitzmaurice is also a key contributor in the circle, starting two games and throwing a team-best 11.0 innings. She’s allowed eight hits and holds opponents to a .200 average against. Alissa Eimont has two appearances with a start. She’s thrown 8.2 innings, also allowing just one earned run. As a team, the Saints have a 1.85 ERA and hold opponents to a .180 average against.
Dartmouth Big Green
Dartmouth has yet to play a game in the 2023 season. 2022 saw the Big Green earn a 20-24 record and a 14-7 mark in league play, just one game outside of the league’s championship series. In this year’s preseason poll, Dartmouth was picked to finished third in the league after a third-place finish in 2022.
Top returners for the Big Green offense include Alaana Panu and Kate Farren. Panu played in all 44 games last season. The outfielder hit for a .268 average with eight doubles, three home runs and drove in 14. She added seven stole bases and scored 21 runs on the season. Farren was a .259 hitter and led the team with 12 doubles, tied for the team lead with four home runs and drove in 24.
The Big Green returns one pitcher from the 2022 squad. Rachel McCarroll appeared in 16 games a year ago, starting six. She threw one complete game in 53.0 innings of work, earning a 1-5 record. Opponents hit .294 against her as she allowed 10 home runs and struck out 29. Newcomers Stella Bale and Payton Kanaly will be relied on in the circle.