SAN DIEGO – The University of Notre Dame softball team opened the 2023 season with a split of its two games in the SDSU Kickoff tournament Friday night. The Irish knocked off the #22 Arizona State Sun Devils 7-1 to begin the season, before falling to the host San Diego State Aztecs, 3-0 in the nightcap. Notre Dame is 1-1 to begin the young season.
Payton Tidd started in the season in the circle. The graduate student earned the win after throwing 6.0 innings, scattering seven hits, allowing an earned run and striking out five. Micaela Kastor came on in relief, allowing two hits in a shut-out inning in the seventh.
The offense was led by Jane Kronenberger in game one. The sophomore right fielder finished 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Carlli Kloss set the table with a 2-for-3 performance at the top of the lineup. Karina Gaskins added two hits with an RBI double. Lexi Orozco, Payton Tidd, Rachel Allen, Brooke Marquez and Mickey Winchell all added a hit in the first contest of the season.
Shannon Becker started the nightcap in the circle. The sophomore threw 5.0 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, one earned and suffered the loss. Kastor came on in relief once again, tossing a scoreless frame, allowing a hit to go with a strikeout.
Despite nine hits from the offense, Notre Dame couldn’t scratch a run home. Kronenberger, Miranda Johnson and Winchell all had two-hit performances. Kloss, Tidd and Macie Eck each added a hit apiece.
How It Happened – #22 Arizona State
The Irish got the scoring started in the bottom of the second with the Sun Devils. With one out, Rachel Allen was hit by a pitch to put the first runner on. Back-to-back singles from Marquez and Winchell turned the lineup over as Kronenberger doubled to shallow left to drive in two. The throw home was wild and Kloss, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on the error. A wild pitch brought Kronenberger in and the Irish led 4-0 after two innings.
A solo home run in the fourth got Arizona State on the board.
Notre Dame answered back in the bottom of the frame, scoring three more. A two-out single from Kloss keep the inning going as Kronenberger left the yard for the first home run of the season. Orozco singled to left center for her first hit at Notre Dame, and Gaskins followed with a double to drive her in and extend the lead to 7-1.
How It Happened – (RV) San Diego State
In the nightcap, the Irish and Aztecs traded zeroes for the first four and a half innings, but each had chances to take an early lead. In the second inning, the Irish had back-to-back one out singles before a lineout and a strikeout ended the threat.
Becker wiggled off the hook in the third, giving up a leadoff triple before getting a ground out, a strikeout and another ground out to strand the runner.
Notre Dame threatened again in the fourth with back-to-back singles, the throw to get the Irish runner going first to third was wild, but SDSU backed up the play and threw the Irish out at home.
SDSU threatened again in the bottom of the fourth, putting two on before Becker caught a line drive and doubled up a runner. Kloss picked off the runner taking too large of a lead at second to extinguish the threat and hold serve.
The Aztecs got on the board In the fifth inning, putting up three runs. A single and a walk put two on. Shortstop Jillian Celis drove a single back to center field where it was misplayed, allowing two runs to score and putting Celis on third. A sacrifice fly brought in the final run of the frame and San Diego State took the 3-0 lead after five innings.
Notre Dame loaded the bases in the sixth, but as Kloss lifted a flare to shallow right that was ran down by the Aztec shortstop who made an over the shoulder catch to end the frame. The Irish went down in order in the seventh.
Up Next
The Irish return to the SDSU Softball Stadium Saturday afternoon as they take on the CSUN Matadors at 5 p.m. (EST), followed by a matchup with Northern Illinois.