April 27, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Two seniors on the University of Notre Dame softball team finished their home careers Sunday at Melissa Cook Stadium by guiding the Irish to a two-game BIG EAST Conference sweep over Connecticut. Notre Dame took the opener, 8-5, which was followed by a 3-2 win on Senior Day.
Senior Sarah Smith went 4-for-7 including a double with two runs and one RBI across the doubleheader. From her second base spot, senior Katie Laing was flawless with 12 assists while racking a hit and added two runs.
Three of Smith’s hits came in the first game of the day when Notre Dame (34-17-1 overall, 12-6 BIG EAST) fell behind by a 5-1 count heading into the bottom of the second. UConn (25-21 overall, 11-7 BIG EAST) surrendered one run to the Irish in each of the first three frames and a pair of scores in the fourth on Smith’s single to left. The Huskies used a three-spot in the first and two scores in the second to jump on top early.
Christine Lux’s homer down leftfield line in the bottom of third was almost duplicated when Kohan stepped in to the box behind her. Kohan ripped a shot against the wind but Huskie left fielder Sara Neuschwander played it nicely and made an over-the-fence snag.
With the score tied, 5-5, Brianna Jorgensborg sent the second pitch of the sixth inning straight over the centerfield fence for the go-ahead run. Two more runs came in on Linda Kohan’s two-out double to right that scored Laing and Smith after that duo had singled earlier to get on base.
The Huskies had seven hits but struck out five times versus pitcher Brittney Bargar (26-10). Tricia Sullivan (13-10) gave up six earned runs on 11 hits in 6.0 innings for UConn.
Game two began in similar fashion to the first contest of the day, with Notre Dame tallying one run in each of the first three innings. Smith had an RBI double in the first and Fleury singled one inning later to bring home Beth Northway.
Lux’s second homer of the day was launched in the bottom of the third to put Notre Dame ahead, 3-0. UConn answered with a Micah Truax solo homer in the top of the seventh, cutting the Irish lead to 3-2. Truax went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Lux posted the same numbers from the plate but chipped in two RBI for the Irish.
Bargar went the distance in game two and fanned a pair of Huskies. She gave up one earned run on four hits but helped herself with seven assists from the circle. Rachael Crossin (9-11) was handed the defeat by letting three earned runs score on six hits in 6.0 innings.
–ND–