March 17, 2007
FULLERTON, Calif.- Notre Dame’s softball team (9-10) fell to No. 17/16 Louisiana-Lafayette (27-6), 4-2, in the second game of the second day of the prestigious Judi Garman Classic on Friday, March 16 in Fullerton, Calif. at the Titan Softball Complex.
The Ragin’ Cajuns struck for a run in the first inning, as Lacey Bertucci smacked her sixth home run of the season to left center.
The Irish threatened in the third inning. Sophomore Stephanie Mola (Naples, Fla./John Neumann) and junior Katie Laing (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol) were each hit-by-a-pitch to put a pair of runners aboard but Holly Tankersley retired the next two in order to keep the 1-0 margin.
Notre Dame tied the game in the fourth inning. Freshman Heather Johnson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Mater Dei) hit a single off the Cajuns shortstop. Junior Brittany Glynn (Seymour, Conn./St. Joseph) pinch ran for Johnson and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt from senior Gessica Hufnagle (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge). Freshman Christine Lux (Glendale East, Ill./Glenbard West) would delivered a double just off the glove of the Louisiana-Lafayette left fielder to tie the game at one all. For Lux it was the first extra base hit of her career.
The Cajuns broke thorough for three runs in their half of the frame. Meagan Godwin started the trouble with a single up the middle. She then stole second. A walk to Vallie Gaspard put two on base. Sophomore Brittney Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona) retired the next two in order to nearly escape the jam if not for Tankersley’s blooping double down the left field line. Tankersley’s double scored both Godwin and Gaspard. Tankersley would come in to score herself on a well placed single up the middle and off the glove of Linda Kohan (Westminster, Calif./Westminster).
The Irish would get one of the runs back in the top of the fifth inning to make the score 4-2. Laing drew a one-out walk and after a pop out and a Kohan single, came in to score from first as the ULL second baseman had trouble picking up the ball in the outfield.
Erin Glasco (Johnston City, Ill./Johnston City) started the seventh inning with a single through the left side. Carissa Jaquish (Highland, Calif./Redlands East Valley) pinch ran for Glasco but the next three were retired in order as Louisiana-Lafayette picked up a crucial victory.
The win would have allowed the Irish to secure a number one seed in their Judi Garman Classic bracket but instead with the loss Notre Dame will take on No.8/8 Texas on the second field at 4 p.m.as the fourth seed. A win against the Longhorns would allow the Irish to play on Sunday, March 18 against the winner of the Pacific/Washington game. An Irish loss would bring up a Saturday night game against the loser of Pacific/Washington game.
Bargar (6-6), besides the one tough inning, was on her game piling up a career-high 12 strikeouts and only surrendering six hits.
Irish Notes: Bargar made her first appearance of the season in the batting order … Notre Dame is now 0-5 against ranked opponents this season.