ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame softball team couldn’t hold off UCF Sunday, falling to the Knights 1-3 after UCF scored three in the sixth inning. Notre Dame is now 7-9 on the season.
The Irish got on the board early, thanks to a UCF error. With two outs, Rebecca Eckart hit a comebacker that hit off the pitcher, trickling out to the shortstop, who bobbled the ball, allowing Mickey Winchell to score the opening run of the game.
Micaela Kastor took the ball in the weekend finale for the Irish and dominated the UCF lineup through five innings, not allowing a run and notching four strikeouts.
UCF scored its first run in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff double and a sac bunt to advance to third, the Knights tied the game up on a sacrifice fly to right.
Later in the inning, a hit by pitch and walk put two more runners on. Both advanced into scoring position on an error, before an infield single paired with another Irish error scored the pair as UCF put a three spot up in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead into the seventh.
The Knights closed out the bottom of the seventh in order to complete the comeback victory.
Kastor threw a complete game effort, going six innings and only allowing one earned run. The senior struck out five but walked four and hit two Knights.
Winchell scored her 11th run of the season in the first inning, a team-high. O’Brien’s base hit in the first was her 19th of the season, a team-high, as the sophomore is one hit away from 50 career base hits.
The Irish open up ACC play this Friday at Georgia Tech at 5 p.m. ET on ACC Network.