FULLERTON, Calif. – The Notre Dame softball team knocked off 23rd-ranked San Diego State 5-4 on day two of the Judi Garman Classic at Cal State Fullerton. It was the second ranked win this season for the Irish (#15 Missouri), who are now 10-9 on the season.
Notre Dame held off the Aztecs in the seventh inning. Micaela Kastor was brilliant for a second straight night, giving the Irish 6.2 innings of grit in the circle. She finished with seven strikeouts on the day.
With Notre Dame up 3-0, a Rachel Allen 2-run homer in the bottom of the sixth proved to be crucial insurance runs. It was Allen’s second home run of the season.
The Irish split the day after losing to 6th-ranked LSU in game one of the day.
San Diego State Recap
Kastor, coming off a complete game effort in the win over Cal State Fullerton last night, took the ball in game two against the 23rd-ranked Aztecs. After some early traffic on the bases in the early innings, Kastor was able to dance around it, keeping San Diego State off the scoreboard after two.
The Irish struck first in the bottom of the second. Jane Kronenberger led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Paige Cowley. Olivia Levitt came up next and smacked one down the right field line to drive home Kronenberger from third for the first run of the game.
Kastor, like she did last night, controlled the pace of the game. The right hander worked around limited traffic and kept the Aztecs uncomfortable in the box. She was through five shutout innings with five strikeouts.
Notre Dame tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, both coming with two outs. After an Emily Tran double, Mickey Winchell drove her home with a single to center, advancing to second on the throw. One batter later, Addison Amaral notched RBI number 19 with a base hit to right to score Winchell. The Irish led 3-0 after five innings.
San Diego State wouldn’t give in just quite yet. Back-to-back baserunners to leadoff the top of the sixth had the Aztecs threatening. But Kastor would get back-to-back strikeouts and a ground ball to second to keep the shutout alive.
Allen stepped up in the bottom of the sixth and launched her second home run of the year, a two-run homer down the left field line to make it 5-0.
Kastor came back out for the seventh, looking to finish off what she started. She got an early groundout, but then a walk and a single put two on for the Aztecs. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. A sac fly and infield single would score two runs for San Diego State. A two-run homer after that cut the lead to one.
Shannon Becker would take over for Kastor after that, just needing one out. And she got it with a fly ball to Kronenberger in right to secure the victory. For Becker, it was her second save of the season and 13th of her career.
LSU Recap
Playing as the home team, Notre Dame sent its defense out first against 6th-ranked LSU behind starter Alexis Laudenslager, making her third start of the year and first since February 14th. Unfortunately for the graduate student, her afternoon ended after giving up five runs without recording an out against the Tigers. Kami Kamzik came in relief with the bases full and no outs. The Tigers scored three more runs in the inning before Brianne Weiss came in and struckout three to end the frame.
Weiss would come in and slow the Tigers in her best outing yet. The freshman left hander struck out six and threw 4.2 innings of shutout softball after the big first inning.
In the top of the fifth, a 2-run homer by LSU made it 10-0. Weiss’ final line was 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB and 6 SO, a quality outing from the freshman in her home state of California against one of the top teams in the nation.
The game would end in five innings with the 6th-ranked Tigers taking the win.
Notre Dame closes out the Judi Garman Classic and tournament play tomorrow against 10th-ranked Arizona at 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET. Live stats will be available for the finale.