SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Senior Payton Tidd allowed just one hit to the team that entered the night leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in batting average as the Fighting Irish earned an 8-1 win. The Irish defeated the visiting Duke Blue Devils in a game that lasted well over four hours, including a two hour and 17-minute rain delay. The night was scheduled for a doubleheader, but the rain delay and a dropping temperature postponed the nightcap.
The University of Notre Dame improved to 23-6 on the season, and 5-2 in ACC action. No. 7 Duke falls to 23-5 and 8-2 in ACC play.
Tidd worked the complete game, her sixth of the season as she improved to 8-3. She struck out six, allowed one hit and an earned run in the win.
Abby Sweet and Karina Gaskins paced the Irish offense. Gaskins finished 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs scored and a home run that landed just off the center field side of the scoreboard. Sweet was 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice and hit a home run of her own. Emma Clark and Jane Kronenberger each added a hit. Clark’s single drove in two and Kronenberger’s fourth double of the year scored a run.
The Irish rallied for a couple of runs in the first inning. With two outs, Sweet doubled down the left field line and scored when Gaskins homered to center field to score two and put the Irish up 2-0.
After the rain delay, the Irish offense continued its hot hitting. An error turned the lineup over and Clark drove a single up the middle to score two. After a walk to Sweet, Gaskins dropped a single to center to score two more and extend the lead to
The Blue Devils scored a run in the top of the third inning after a walk and a hit batter put two on and a single scored the run. With runners on the corners, a fly ball went out to shallow left that was caught by Hanks, who fired home and nabbed the runner who was attempting to score to keep the Irish up 6-1.
The Irish tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth. Sweet hit a solo home run with two outs before Gaskins laced one back through the box for a single and scored when Kronenberger hit a fly ball that danced in the wind and landed on the warning track in right center for a double and put the Irish up 8-1.
Up Next
The Irish and Blue Devils are scheduled to meet up tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Melissa Cook Stadium.