Irish Defeat Louisville Behind Tidd’s Gem

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Notre Dame softball team earned a 1-0 victory in the series opener over the Louisville Cardinals Thursday night at Ulmer Stadium. The Fighting Irish got a complete game from Payton Tidd in the circle, and Joley Mitchell hit her career-best seventh home run of the season in the victory. The Irish improve to 22-10-1 on the season, and 6-6-1 in ACC action.

Tidd worked the full 7.0 in the circle. She allowed six hits walked one and struck out two to earn her 11^th victory of the season. That win is Tidd’s 70^th of her career, tying former teammate Alexis Holloway for eighth all-time in program history. Louisville entered the weekend with the ACC’s offenses, hitting for a .316 team average with 32 home runs.

The offense had just three hits in the contest, led by Mitchell’s long ball. Karina Gaskins and Mickey Winchell each had a hit in the contest, with Gaskins’s being a double.

How It Happened

Mitchell put the Irish up in the top of the third inning, connecting on a two-out solo home run for the 1-0 advantage.

That proved to be the difference in the ball game. Tidd stranded six runners, and a double play in the fourth inning erased a threat. Down the stretch, Tidd was her best, retiring the final eight hitters of the contest.

Up Next

The Irish and Cardinals are back in action tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. in the second game of the three-game conference series.