NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame (22-12, 13-10 ACC) secured the series sweep over Virginia (13-25, 9-20 ACC) with a 5-1 win Sunday. The victory extended the home win streak to 14 games, and senior pitcher Alexis Holloway allowed just two hits in the complete game, earning her 10th win of the season.
Holloway posted four strikeouts, as she and the Irish at one point retired 14-straight batters from the end of the first inning to the end of the fifth inning.
Freshman Karina Gaskins hit her first home run at Melissa Cook Stadium, a two-run shot to give the Irish the lead in the third inning. In total, six different Irish players delivered a hit, and graduate student Katie Marino totaled two runs, which led the team.
Notre Dame earns its second ACC series sweep of the season, after having won all three games against NC State March 26 and 27 (fourth game canceled due to weather).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia got off to a strong start in the first inning, drawing a leadoff walk and moving the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. A following triple brought the leadoff runner home, but Holloway delivered a strikeout and freshman Cassidy Grimm took care of the grounder at third to limit the damage to 1-0.
While junior Emma Clark doubled in the bottom of the inning, moving to third on a wild pitch, she was stranded and the Irish were unable to score in the opening stint.
Holloway began her dominance in the second, as she and the Irish sat down the Virginia side, and with Notre Dame up to bat, senior Sarah Genz trapped the Cavaliers in an error with one out. Holloway singled to move Genz to second, and Genz took third on a wild pitch. Graduate student Chelsea Purcell grounded out, allowing Genz to speed home and Holloway to reach third, and the inning ended with a tie 1-1 score.
Virginia went three up, three down in the third, and with two outs in the bottom half, Marino drew a walk, and then took second on another wild pitch. Then, Gaskins fired a deep shot for her first home run at Melissa Cook Stadium to put the Irish up 3-1 at the end of the inning.
Both squads were unable to score in the fourth, and in the fifth, Holloway and Notre Dame again sat the Cavaliers down in order. With the Irish up to bat, senior Abby Sweet walked, taking second on a wild pitch. Later, Marino doubled to score Sweet. Marino reached third on a groundout, and sped home on a single from sophomore Leea Hanks. The inning ended with a 5-1 Notre Dame lead.
Virginia threatened in the sixth, drawing a leadoff walk. The runner was tagged out on a subsequent fielder’s choice, and another batter reached on a Notre Dame error. However, with the two runners on, Marino snagged the grounder to end the inning with no runs scored.
Also unable to score in the sixth, the Irish headed to the field, and Genz and Sweet snagged the first two outs. Virginia fired a single, but a quick throw from Hanks to Marino at second tagged out the runner to secure the win.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame will remain home and host DePaul on Wednesday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m. ET for a midweek game. The matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.