April 2, 2006
The University of Notre Dame softball team (18-10) improved to 4-0 in the BIG EAST Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Providence (19-8, 4-4) on Sunday, April 2, at Ivy Field. The Irish won game one 4-1, then took game two 8-0 in six innings. Notre Dame’s pitching staff held the Friars to just five hits in the two games while three Irish players piled up four hits each to lead a 19-hit barrage.
Game one was keyed by timely hitting from the Irish and consistent pitching from senior righthander Heather Booth. Booth picked up her ninth victory of the year and second in the conference by working all seven innings, allowing three hits one unearned run and striking out eight. The Irish offense was led by its top three hitters in the lineup, junior Stephanie Brown, freshman Alexandra Kotcheff and senior Mallorie Lenn who all finished game one two for three.
Game two saw freshman Brittney Barger claim her second BIG EAST win in as many starts, allowing just two hits in five innings of work and striking out two. After going through the first three innings without a hit, the Irish piled up eight runs over the span of three innings to end the game early on softball’s eight-run rule. Lenn one again keyed the offensive attack, going two for three with three RBI. Brown also ended the game with a highlight reel home run to centerfield, accounting for Notre Dame’s final run of the contest.
Notre Dame’s eight-game home stand continues Tuesday, April 4, when the Irish play host to Eastern Michigan for a doubleheader scheduled at 4 p.m.
GAME ONE RECAP:
Notre Dame started off the first game of the twin bill slowly, feeling out Providence starting pitcher Sara Surosky. A single bunt hit by senior Sara Schoonaert was the lone hit over the first two innings, but the Irish exploded for four consecutive hits with one out in the third inning to score their first three runs of the game.
Brown started the hit parade by driving the first pitch of her at bat deep into the left-centerfield gap for her team-high seventh double of the year. She was not at second long, however, because freshman Alexandra Kotcheff slapped a single through the right side of the Providence defense to drive in Brown and the first run of the game for the Irish. The Irish centerfielder also moved up to second on the throw home and would score one batter later when Lenn posted her own single through the right side.
Senior Meagan Ruthrauff stepped in next and looped a double down the leftfield line to put runners at second and third for sophomore Katie Laing. Laing noticed the Friar defense playing back, however, and laid down a great sacrifice bunt to drive in Lenn and Notre Dame’s third run of the inning.
Providence scored their one run of the game in the top of the fourth inning on back-to-back singles and a defensive error. With one out, Rachel Bartholomew singled up the middle. She scored when Elena Romero’s single to rightfield found its way through the legs of freshman Stephanie Mola – rolling all the way to the wall. Romero ended up at third on the play but Booth recovered to shut the door with a ground ball and strikeout.
The Irish tacked one run on their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a heads up baserunning play by Schoonaert. The Irish shortstop had reached on a single up the middle, moved to second on a sacrifice hit by Mola and ended up at third when a passed ball found its way past Providence catcher Bartholomew. Bartholomew retrieved the ball and passed it back to Surosky, but the Friar pitcher turned back to the pitcher’s circle without calling time. Schoonaert instantly took off for home plate and caught the Friar defense napping to score the fourth run of the game for the Irish.
The three run cushion would prove to be plenty for Booth. Over the final three innings, she allowed just two baserunners on a walk and single to push her season record to 9-7.
GAME TWO RECAP:
In similar fashion to the first contest, Notre Dame spent its first trip through the lineup feeling out Providence starting pitcher Jennifer Maccio. Maccio retired the Irish in order over the first three innings, but the team attacked the Providence pitches from the fourth inning on. Brown started off the fourth with an infield hit and a dropped throw at first by the Providence defense on a ground ball from Kotcheff opened the flood gates for the Irish offense.
With runners at second and third, Lenn lifted a two-RBI single to rightfield. Pinch runner Sarah Smith was inserted and, after Meagan Ruthrauff was hit by a pitch, Laing delivered a two-RBI double bouncing into leftfield to put the Irish up 4-0. Schoonaert kept the inning alive with a single and Laing scored on an RBI ground out by freshman Erin Glasco.
While Bargar was keeping Providence off the scoreboard in the top half of the innings, the Irish kept scoring in the fifth and sixth innings. Brown started the fifth inning off with a walk and she scored on an RBI double by Lenn. The double looked to be of the two-RBI variety with Kotcheff (who singled to second base) rounding third, but a great throw from the Providence cut off position caught the Irish centerfielder at home plate. The defensive play would end up extending the game an inning, as an RBI single by Laing put the Irish up 7-0 but the team also left the bases loaded and were unable to post the final run needed to end the game early.
Junior Kenya Fuemmeler entered the game in the top of the sixth and worked a solid inning of relief, putting the Irish bats right back into the box in search of that eighth run to end the game. The team would not have to wait long. After Brittany Glynn led off the inning with a ground ball to shortstop for the first out, Brown crushed a home run to centerfield to end the contest and push the Irish to 4-0 in conference play.
DOUBLEHEADER NOTES: Some final doubleheader numbers for the Irish – Stephanie Brown finished four for six with four runs scored and one RBI … Alexandra Kotcheff was three for six with two runs scored and an RBI … Mallorie Lenn ended up four for six with four RBI … Sara Schoonaert finished four for six with a run scored and stolen base … the Irish are now 23-0 all-time vs. Providence … Notre Dame (4-0) and Louisville (4-0) are the only undefeated teams left in BIG EAST Conference play.