LYNCHBURG, Virginia — Notre Dame Softball (6-5) completed a 2-0 day at the Liberty Classic Saturday, as junior pitcher Payton Tidd (2-3) earned the win in the 8-0 shutout victory over Villanova, and senior pitcher Alexis Holloway (4-2) pitched a complete game in the 3-1 win over RV Liberty.
Both pitchers hit home runs on the day, as Tidd’s came vs. Villanova, scoring two, while Holloway’s came at Liberty, a solo shot and the third of her career.
For the first time since 2019, the Irish hit back-to-back home runs, as Tidd sent her second-career home run outside the walls in the second inning vs. Villanova, and junior Quinn Biggio followed with a solo homer, upping her career total to seven. The last Notre Dame pair to hit two-consecutive home runs was Cait Brooks and current graduate student infielder Katie Marino, who did it at FIU on March 13, 2019.
In the field, the Irish were clean, committing zero errors in either game.
Junior Emma Clark led Notre Dame at the plate, recording five hits and three runs on the day, adding three RBI, over the course of both games.
Freshman Bryn Boznanski saw her first game action in an Irish uniform in Saturday’s game vs. Villanova.
GAME 1
The Irish bats were hot from the beginning, as Sweet led off the first game with a triple. Clark singled to bring Sweet home, before stealing second herself. Clark took third on a Marino flyout, and took home after Villanova delivered a wild pitch. The Irish finished batting up 2-0.
Tidd struck out two in the first inning, allowing no runs for Villanova, and the Irish returned to the plate in the second for more. Sophomore Leea Hanks led off with a single, before Tidd delivered her second-career home run to score both. Immediately following, Biggio sent her shot out of the park for a solo score. After Clark singled and Marino reached on an error, a fielder’s choice was the last out and ended Notre Dame’s scoring at 5-0.
In the bottom of the second, Tidd struck out two more, and both teams were retired in order in the third.
In the fourth, sophomore Macie Eck drew a HBP pinch-hitting for freshman Carlli Kloss. Kloss returned to run, and Sweet doubled to send Kloss to third. Another Clark hit, a single, brought Kloss home. Clark again stole second, and Marino doubled to score both Sweet and Clark in what proved to be Notre Dame’s last scoring play of the game, ending the top of the fourth up 8-0.
Senior Morgan Ryan entered to pitch for Tidd in the bottom of the fourth, and through the fourth and the fifth, Ryan struck out two and did not allow any Villanova runs. In the top of the fifth, Ryan also delivered a single of her own, her second-career hit.
The Irish ended it in five innings, with a final score 8-0.
GAME 2
Both squads went three up, three down in the first inning. The Irish went up to bat in the second, and Holloway sent her solo home run outside the walls with one out to give the Irish the lead. With no more runs scored in the inning, Notre Dame also held Liberty without a hit or any bases in the second to enter the third up 1-0.
After two outs in the third, Sweet singled, scoring on a subsequent Clark triple, to put the Irish up 2-0 at the close of the inning. With no runs in the bottom of the third or top of the fourth, Liberty sent a solo home run to lead off the fourth, and the Irish responded with a 3-6-4 double play from senior Sarah Genz to graduate student Chelsea Purcell and back to Marino at first to limit the damage at 2-1.
Both teams were retired in order in the fifth inning, and in the sixth, Clark led off for the Irish with a single, later stealing second. Clark advanced to third on a Marino groundout, and was brought home as Genz forced an error, extending the lead to 3-1.
Holloway and the Irish put Liberty away in order in the sixth, and the Irish did not score any more in the top of the seventh. To end the game, Liberty went three up, three down to preserve the final score at 3-1, Notre Dame.
In all, Holloway gave up just two hits at Liberty, throwing her third complete game of the season.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame will close out the Liberty Classic win facing Villanova on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. Live stats can be found at und.com/mediastats. No broadcast coverage will be available.