March 14, 1999
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Notre Dame softball team allowed six runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings after a scoreless four-and-a-half innings and managed just six hits to fall 6-0 to 20th-ranked Nebraska in consolation championship game of the National Invitational Softball Tournament in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday. The Cornhuskers scored six runs on eight hits to improve to 10-6 with the win. The Irish fall to 12-10 with the loss.
Notre Dame stranded six runners in the game and committed two errors to allow Nebraska to add to their 2-0 lead with four runs, including three unearned runs, in the sixth inning. Senior catcher Kris McCleary was 3-3 on the day for half of Notre Dames hits. Lizzy Lemire, Jennifer Sharron and Jenny Kriech each added a hit.
Sharron started on the mound and went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters. Bessolo pitched the sixth and gave up four runs, just one earned, on three hits.
The Irish finished play at the NIST with a 3-3 record and complete the first part of the its 1999 schedule with a 12-10 record, the best start for the Irish since the 1996 team was 14-10. Notre Dame returns to action with a doubleheader at Purdue on Tues., March 23 at 2:00 p.m.