Irish to Host Pitt for 15th Annual Strikeout Cancer Weekend

Game Notes

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – When the Notre Dame softball team hits the field tomorrow against Pittsburgh, they’ll be doing so in the 15th Annual Strikeout Cancer Weekend.

Since 2011, the Notre Dame softball team has hosted a Strikeout Cancer weekend, raising funds to assist local families with a child battling cancer. The team hosts a trivia night, silent auction, a home run derby and other promotions to raise funds to support the children and families affected.

The Irish come into the weekend have only lost one of their past five games. Notre Dame took the series last weekend against 22nd-ranked Virginia before tying Northwestern on the road on Tuesday, 10-10. Notre Dame is 16-20-1 overall and 4-8 in conference play this year.

Addison Amaral has continued to shine for the Irish. The sophomore shortstop leads the team in batting average (.388), hits (40), runs (19), doubles (8), home runs (5), runs batted in (29), on base percentage (.504), walks (22) and slugging (.612). She was named the 13th-best shortstop in the country heading into the month of April by Softball America on Wednesday. She’s hitting .417 at Melissa Cook Stadium this season.

In the circle, the Irish pitching staff is second in the ACC with 225 strikeouts. Micalea Kastor has 80, which is tied for 6th in the conference, while Kami Kamzik (60) and Brianne Weiss (52) are in the top-18 of the ACC. In her last 12 appearances, Weiss has a 3.04 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched. Three different pitchers have recorded a save this season – Shannon Becker, Kamzik, Weiss.

Game one of the series is now set for 4 p.m. tomorrow after getting moved up two hours due to potential weather in the area. Former head coach Deanna Gumpf will be honored tomorrow evening and will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.

Game two will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday while the series finale on Sunday is set for a noon first pitch. All three games can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.