March 13, 2011
Game 1: Box Score | Box Score 
Game 2: Box Score | Box Score
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Notre Dame softball team started its West Coast swing with a pair of non-conference wins Sunday at Cal Poly. Pitcher Jody Valdivia recorded a 4-1 win from the circle to start the doubleheader at Bob Janssen Field as Laura Winter capped off the day with a 2-0 shutout victory.
Dani Miller and Heather Johnson each homered in the opening game and Alexa Maldonado totaled three hits in the doubleheader.
After progressing to 14-2 overall, Notre Dame travels down the Pacific Coast Highway to Cal State Fullerton for the Judi Garman Classic (March 16-19). Live stats will be available at UND.com throughout the tournament.
-Game 1-
Cal Poly (3-19) came out with a bang and loaded the bases on two hits in the first inning. Valdivia (5-1) walked in one run, the only score for the Mustangs on the day, and went on to strike out six batters in the next six innings.
Johnson and Miller put Notre Dame ahead in the sixth with consecutive two-out home runs. Johnson’s flew against the wind and sailed over the scoreboard in leftfield while Miller’s cleared the fence in center.
One hit came in the seventh to help produce two more Irish runs. Notre Dame and Cal Poly both finished with six hits in the game.
Alexia Clay doubled to right in the seventh and scored on a Laura Winter infield grounder. Johnson sent Jackie Bowe home for an unearned run with another infield grounder. Bowe had reached base by drawing a walk after a 10-pitch at-bat.
Rebecca Patton (1-11) struck out five and gave up three earned runs in 6.0 innings.
Valdivia walked two with eight strikeouts.
-Game 2-
Trista Thomas (1-2) walked in two runs before getting yanked in the second inning for Anna Cahn. Thomas faced nine batters and gave up three hits as Cahn blanked the Irish for the remaining 5.2 frames.
Miller singled to begin the second and scored along with Amy Buntin on free passes. Notre Dame would leave the bases loaded.
However, Winter (6-0) stayed perfect from the circle with a masterful five-hit, complete-game effort which kept the Mustangs off balance throughout the contest.
Winter punched out five players without a walk.
Cal Poly’s Ashley Romano doubled in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate, giving way for Winter to induce a Rebecca Patton grounder back to the circle for the final out.
–ND–