April 14, 2009
Game 1: Box Score | Box Score 
Game 2: Box Score | Box Score
MADISON, Wis. – The Notre Dame softball team swept Wisconsin on Wednesday at the Goodman Softball Complex to avenge an early-season loss to the Badgers. The first game was finalized with a 5-0 count and game two wrapped in favor of the Irish, 4-2.
Notre Dame (27-13) totaled six runs in each of the seventh innings across the doubleheader while holding Wisconsin (12-30) to a total of five hits on the day. Brittney Bargar (16-9) set the tone for the twinbill with a shutout in the opener as the ace allowed two base runners on the pond with eight strikeouts. She outdueled Letty Olivarez (8-20) who gave up eight hits and five earned runs with six walks. Notre Dame left eight runners on base.
Beth Northway began the charge with a first-inning single and came home on Christine Lux’s single through the left side. The Irish had an opportunity in the third with the bases loaded but Dani Miller’s infield grounder turned into a double-play ball that ended the inning.
Bargar had five strikeouts without allowing a runner on base through the first three innings but Wisconsin started the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off single by Jennifer Krueger that went for naught.
A soft single to right by Alexia Clay in the seventh put the catcher on base as Alexa Maldonado stepped in to run. Stephanie Mola entered to hit for Brianna Jorgensborg and laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by the Badgers but thrown into right field while trying to relieve Mola at first. Both runners moved into scoring position and Northway was intentionally walked. The Irish were able to tag on an insurance run when Kohan drew a walk and Miller’s huge fly ball to center got caught in the win and dropped in front of the fence for a single to drive in another score. Katie Fleury would have had a sacrifice fly to plate another run but Heather Johnson left third base a tad too soon on the play.
Johnson and Clay each had two hits for the Irish.
–Game 2–
Notre Dame got seven hits from seven different players while completing the sweep.
The Badgers were hitless until the fourth when Theresa Boruta recorded a single. Another Badger got on base in the sixth by means of a walk and with the defense playing shallow, lefty-slapper Jennifer Krueger knocked one to the fence for an RBI-triple. Bortua’s second hit of the game was a bloop single to shallow right which tied the contest, 2-2.
The Irish got those two runs back in the seventh when Clay homered against the wind to right field after Erin Marrone’s infield single. Marrone also had a solo home run for Notre Dame earlier in the affair.
Jody Valdivia (11-5) surrendered three hits and two earned runs while mastering the craft from the circle with 10 strikeouts. Seven hits and four earned runs marked the day for Leah Vanevenhoven (4-9), who walked four and struck out three.
–ND–