April 24, 2007
NOTRE DAME, Ind.- Notre Dame’s softball team (24-19, 9-5 BIG EAST) failed to get both their offense and pitching in order in taking a 12-0 five-inning loss to No. 8/10 Northwestern (37-10) on Tuesday, April 24 at Ivy Field.
The Wildcats were on the attack from the opening pitch, as Katie Logan hit a single to short to start the game. A walk to Tammy Williams and a ground out moved the runners to second and third. Nicole Pauly doubled in both Logan and Williams with a shot to right-center field. After a strikeout, a wild pitch and a walk, Pauly came into score the third run as part of a delayed double steal.
Senior Stephanie Brown (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol) started the Irish half of the inning with an infield single. Brown took second a wild pitch and moved to third on fellow senior Gessica Hufnagle’s (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge) sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, freshman Heather Johnson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Mater Dei) walked, before another strikeout by NU pitcher Eileen Canney ended the inning.
The Wildcats scored three more runs in the second on Garland Cooper’s 19th home run of the season.
Northwestern scored a run in the third on Jessica Miller’s RBI double. After the Irish escaped a bases-loaded no out jam in the fourth, NU finished the scoring off and began emptying the bench with five more runs in the fifth. Pauly had a two-run RBI single and Erin Hampshire had a two-run RBI double to highlight the inning.
Notre Dame put up a fight facing a run-shortened fate in the fifth. Junior Sarah Smith (Oklahoma City, Okla./Heritage Hall) reached first on a one-out single and took second on misplay in left field by Northwestern. Smith moved to third on a pass ball before sophomore Erin Glasco (Johnson City, Ill./Johnson City) walked. After a strikeout, Hufnagle was hit by a pitch to load the bases, before a fielder’s choice ended the game.
Brown had two of the three Irish hits on the afternoon. Sophomore Brittney Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona) (16-10) took the loss for Notre Dame allowing seven run in three innings of work.
Next, Notre Dame will play the final home regular season game on Wednesday, April 25 against UIC at 6:30 p.m.
Irish Notes: The Irish have now lost a season-low five in a row … the loss dropped Notre Dame to 14-6 in home games this season … the game against No. 8/10 Northwestern was the seventh time this season the Irish have played against a ranked opponent … the loss by the Irish was the worst suffered since 1999 when the team lost 16-0 to No. 2 Arizona at the Hillenbrand Tournament … the 12 runs allowed was the most allowed since 2004 when the team lost 12-1 to Pacific at the Palm Spring Classic.