Feb. 22, 2003

The weather continued to be a problem in Columbus, Ga., on Friday evening, pushing the already weather delayed NFCA Leadoff Classic back even further. Notre Dame was scheduled to have two games in the record books already, but have yet to take the field.

As of 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, the Notre Dame schedule, announced yesterday, has been moved back another hour.

Notre Dame will face #4 California at 4 p.m.

Notre Dame will then take on Illinois State at 6 p.m.

The third game of the day will pit #23 Notre Dame and #17 Alabama at 10 p.m.

Most likely, due to all 24 teams needing to play at the Columbus, Ga., softball complex (which includes five fields) even these announced game times might be pushed back. The NCAA softball rules state that games cannot be started after 12 midnight on any given day.

Notre Dame did play three games in a day during the 2002 fall exhibition season, but have not played three regular-season games in one day since March 12, 1999, at the National Invitational Tournament in San Jose, Calif. (2-6 vs. UCSB, 1-2 vs. #14 California and 2-1 vs. North Carolina).

Game recaps and statistics will be posted on www.und.com – hopefully after the first two games and the night cap.