SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team took game one of the series against Louisville Friday night, winning 5-2 thanks to a five-run second inning to lift the Irish to their 17th win of the season and sixth in ACC play.
Sophomore Brianne Weiss was masterful in the circle. The southpaw tossed her second complete game of the season, striking out seven in seven innings, tied for the third-most in Weiss’ career. The Placentia, California native allowed just two runs on five hits against one of the top offenses in the country, holding the Cardinals to a .192 batting average and just one extra base hit.
After Louisville scored twice in the top of the first, Weiss became nearly untouchable. In the final six innings of the game, Weiss allowed just two hits. In her last two outings against the Cardinals, Weiss has pitched 15.1 innings and allowed just four runs (1.82 ERA) with 16 strikeouts.
The Irish offense collected nine hits on the night, seven of them coming with runners on. Notre Dame’s offense was lethal with two outs, knocking in four runs of its five runs with a pair of outs on the board.
Ava Zachary, Mickey Winchell and Avery Houlihan all collected multi-hit games Friday. For Zachary and Winchell, it’s a team-best 11 multi-hit games this season.
Looped into left!
📺 ACCNX | @ava_zachary pic.twitter.com/SGylylwQ5I
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) April 10, 2026
Winchell opened up the scoring for the Irish with a single up the middle that scored Houlihan from second to cut the lead to one. Later in the inning, Zachary looped a double down the left field line that kicked away from Louisville’s left fielder to score Tenley Sweet and Winchell, giving the Irish a lead they never relinquished.
Sydny Poeck registered her first career triple, coming in the second inning that drove in Levitt from second base to make it 5-2. Levitt singled home Zachary right before trotting home on the Poeck triple.
First career triple 💨
📺 ACCNX | @SydnyPoeck2023 pic.twitter.com/B0uw7yXajb
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) April 10, 2026
Notre Dame will go for the series win tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. Admission to all regular season Irish softball games is free.