FULLERTON, Calif. – The Notre Dame softball team split Thursday’s opening day of the Judi Garman Classic, held at Cal State Fullerton. The Irish beat invite host Cal State Fullerton 5-2 in the nightcap after dropping their first game 7-2 to 4th-ranked UCLA.
Addison Amaral hit two homers on the day, one in each game, and had 5 RBI over the course of Thursday. Her 3-run shot against Cal State Fullerton broke a 1-1 tie early in the game and proved to be the difference maker.
Micaela Kastor pitched a gem on the road, going the distance against Cal State Fullerton. The junior finished with seven strikeouts over seven innings, only allowing two earned runs. It was the second complete game for Kastor this season.
Cal State Fullerton Recap
After a 50-minute delay due to the game prior running long, Tran ripped a leadoff triple into the left center field gap to start off the top of the first. She would come around to score on a passed ball as the Irish struck first 1-0.
Fullerton, coming off a win over No. 6 LSU, would load the bases in the bottom of the first, but starter Micaela Kastor would escape the jam, getting a big strikeout before a weak fly ball to right ended the threat.
Kastor made her team-most eighth start of the night, entering the game with a 4-1 record.
In the bottom of the second, the Titans again put traffic on. With runners at second and third, a ground ball was hit to Anna Holloway at second. She fielded it cleanly and fired it home to Rachel Allen who placed a perfect tag on the runner for the out. The Titans would get one back in the inning however to tie it up at 1-1.
The Irish took the lead back in the top of the third. Amaral, with two runners on, hit a shot out to dead center for her second home run of the day, and third of the season. The three-run homer gave Notre Dame a 4-1 advantage and gave the sophomore shortstop 18 RBI on the year.
The Irish tacked on another next inning, as Sydny Poeck hit her first career long ball, a solo shot out to right center to put another run on the board, 5-1.
Kastor kept dealing in the circle for Notre Dame. She retired nine in a row at one point and had four strikeouts through four.
Emily Tran recorded her third hit of the game in the top of the fifth on a ground ball to left. The senior outfielder crossed home twice in the nightcap and leads the team with 12 runs scored this season.
Kastor continued her dominance. The junior had no issues in the sixth and battled through the bottom of the seventh to secure the win for Notre Dame.
UCLA Recap
Notre Dame got back-to-back singles by Emily Tran and Mickey Winchell to start off the game. After a flyout by Addison Amaral, UCLA starter Jada Cecil got two consecutive swinging strikeouts to end the early threat.
Kami Kamzik made her fifth start of the season and her second start against a ranked team in her career. After a leadoff walk, the sophomore got a groundout and two flyouts to keep the first inning scoreless.
The Bruins struck first with a solo homer to left in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead.
It wouldn’t take long for an Irish counter. Amaral stepped up in the top of the third and hit a two-run homer that nearly cleared the scoreboard in left, scoring Winchell to give the Irish a 2-1 lead. It was Amaral’s second home run of the year and RBI number 14 and 15 this season.
In the bottom of the fourth, UCLA would take the lead on a two-run single with one out to take the lead. After a pitching change, Bruins’ leadoff hitter Jessica Clements hit a two-run homer to right to put UCLA up 5-2. An RBI triple later in the inning gave the Bruins a 6-2 lead after four.
Notre Dame put traffic on to start the fifth. Wichell singled, then advanced to third thanks to a stolen base and a wild pitch. Amaral would walk and swipe a bag herself to put two runners in scoring position with only one out. Next batter up, Kaia Cortes hit a grounder to second that resulted in a long rundown at home, ending with Winchell being tagged out. A swinging strikeout for the final out kept the Irish off the scoreboard.
UCLA would hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth for its seventh run. The game ended 7-2 in favor of the fourth-ranked Bruins.
Notre Dame will take on two ranked opponents tomorrow during day two of the Judi Garman Classic. The Irish face No. 6 LSU at 12:00 pm PT/3:00 pm ET before facing No. 23 San Diego State at 2:30 pm PT/5:30 pm ET. Live stats are available for both games.