JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame softball swept its split doubleheader Friday afternoon at the Pruitt Softball Complex, home of the Jacksonville Dolphins. The Fighting Irish started the day with a dominating 11-1 five inning win over Samford, before holding off a pesky Jacksonville team, winning the nightcap, 6-4.
Micaela Kastor earned the win in the circle against Samford, throwing 4.0 innings. She struck out one and allowed just one run in the contest. Kami Kamzik came on in relief, striking out two and sitting the Bulldogs down in order in the fifth.
The Irish offense went for nine hits in the opener, led by multi-hit efforts from Carlli Kloss, Addison Amaral and Mickey Winchell. Amaral led the charge with three RBI, hitting her first homer of her career. Kloss, Winchell and Cassidy Grimm each drove in two runs, and Karina Gaskins hit her first homer of the season, 39th of her career, in the first inning.
The nightcap saw Alexis Laudenslager get the start. The graduate student threw 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, four earned runs and struck out three. Shannon Becker was on in relief, tossing 2.0 scoreless frames, striking out two and earning her second save of the season.
Kloss paced the Irish offense in the nightcap, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Addison Amaral, Cassidy Grimm and Emily Tran each added two hits as the Irish offense went for 13 total. Kronenberger delivered three runs on the day, as she was joined by Amaral and Winchell in driving in runs.
How It Happened – Samford
Gaskins got the Irish rolling early, hitting her first home run of the season. Kronenberger and the offense kept cooking as the junior singled to center, followed by an Amaral single to first. A walk loaded the bases and a Winchell single brought in the second run. Grimm worked a walk for the third run of the inning.
Notre Dame stayed hot in the second. Tran drew a walk and stole second before scoring on a Kloss single. Two walks loaded the bases and Samford went to the bullpen. Amaral greeted the new hurler with a sacrifice fly to right, and Rachel Allen added a productive out, hitting a ground ball to the right side to extend the lead to 6-0.
Samford got on the board in the second. Back-to-back singles started the inning and a walk loaded the bases. Kastor buckled down, giving up a run on a sacrifice fly before retiring the side.
Grimm got the Irish rolling in the third, drawing a lead off walk. After a sacrifice bunt from Holloway, Kloss drove a single the other way to bring in Grimm and extend the lead to 7-1.
The Irish extended the lead in the fourth as Kronenberger led off with a walk. A fielder’s choice and a throwing error put runners on the corners as Notre Dame executed a double steal to bring in a run. Grimm drove a single to center to score Tenley Sweet who was pinch running and extended the lead to 9-1.
How It Happened – Jacksonville
Notre Dame stayed hot to start the nightcap. Kloss began the contest with a single and scored when Gaskins doubled to left. Vasquez doubled up the Irish lead with a productive ground out to score Gaskins to put the Irish up 2-0 after the top of the first.
After three scoreless innings, the Irish plated two more in the fifth. Back-to-back singles put two on for Gaskins, who drew a walk. Jacksonville went to the bullpen with the bases loaded and Kronenberger brought in a run with a sacrifice fly. Amaral drove in another with a single as the Irish went up 4-0.
Jacksonville battled back, scoring four in the bottom of the fifth, capped with a three run homer to tie the game knotting the game.
Grimm helped the Irish get back on top. Doubling to start the top of the sixth. An error and a walk loaded the bases as a Kloss drove in a run and Kronenberger added another with a sacrifice fly.
Becker came on with the two-run lead, and didn’t allow a base runner in her two innings of work.
Up Next
Notre Dame returns to action tomorrow as they’ll head to neighboring University of North Florida, taking on Samford once again before the host Ospreys at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.