SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Mishawaka native Ava Zachary has produced plenty of big moments during her first year in the Blue & Gold, but perhaps none bigger than her two-run, walk-off home run in extra innings Sunday afternoon to lift Notre Dame to a series win over Cal, 9-7 in extra innings. Notre Dame improves to 15-19 on the season and 5-7 in ACC play.
“THE HOMETOWN HERO”@ava_zachary walks it off for the series win‼️#GoIrish | #ndsbSWAG pic.twitter.com/jQ1D4dJOMs
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) March 29, 2026
Zachary had a career-best four hits and four RBI in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Melissa Cook Stadium. The freshman leads the team with a .395 batting average and is tied for the team lead with four home runs and 19 RBI. Her .630 slugging percentage leads the team as does her seven doubles.
Fellow freshman Hayden Kyne created a formidable 1-2 punch with Zachary all weekend, including Sunday. Kyne, who is second on the team with a .328 batting average this season, went 2/4 with a three-run homer in the first inning of the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, her second career round tripper. She also had two RBI in game one, driving in seven in the series win over Cal. Kyne has a team-high 13 RBI in 12 conference games for Notre Dame to go along with a .371 batting average against ACC foes.
Mickey Winchell was the table setter all weekend for an Irish offense that hit .378 with 34 hits over the three game series. Winchell hit a blistering .692 with nine hits over the weekend against the Golden Bears, including seven in both games combined today. The senior scored seven runs, including three in the walk off win Sunday afternoon and leads the Irish with 23 runs scored so far this year.
Kami Kamzik got her fifth win of the season, throwing a 1-2-3 eighth inning to keep Cal at bay. Over the weekend, Kamzik went 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 10 innings pitched. Micaela Kastor was huge in relief, throwing 4.1 innings, allowing just two runs while striking out four to keep the Irish in the game.
Notre Dame returns to Melissa Cook Stadium for its first midweek contest of the season Tuesday night for a clash against Western Michigan. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. Admission is free to all regular season Notre Dame softball games.
Game One
Notre Dame got on the board early in the bottom of the first off a Hayden Kyne single that found its way through the right side of the infield to score Mickey Winchell from second. The Irish led 1-0 after the opening frame.
It was all Cal after that. The Golden Bears scored one in the top of the second to tie the game before a five-run third inning cushioned Cal’s lead. Kyne hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score another Irish run in the bottom of the fifth, but three more Cal runs gave the Golden Bears a 10-2 victory in the morning matchup.
Game Two
For the second time on the day, Notre Dame scored in the first inning. After an early Cal run in the top of the first, Hayden Kyne stepped into the box and blasted a three-run homer over the right center field fence, scoring Mickey Winchell and Ava Zachary. It was the first home run for Notre Dame at Melissa Cook Stadium this season.
The Golden Bears stayed feisty, scoring a run in the second to cut into the deficit before three runs in the third gave Cal a 5-3 after three.
Notre Dame tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. After back-to-back hits by Avery Houlihan and Tenley Sweet, Sydny Poeck lifted a ball into left field for a sacrifice fly before Zachary tied the game up at five with a double off the wall in left field to score Sweet and make it 5-5 after four.
Micalea Kastor, who started game one of the day, came in relief and settled the waters for the Irish defense. The senior tossed back-to-back scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth inning to halt the Golden Bears’ momentum.
But Cal kept at it. A two-run, two-out homer in the top of the sixth put the Golden Bears back on top, 7-5.
Ava Zachary provided Notre Dame its sixth run, a shot back up the middle to score Winchell from second and cut the Cal lead to just one heading into the final frame.
Caitlyn Early started off the rally for the Irish, lining an RBI double into the gap in right center for a leadoff double. After back-to-back lineouts, Lily Hagan, pinch hitting, grounded one back up the middle to score the tying run. After seven, the rubber match was knotted up at seven.
The freshman comes through 👊
📺 ACCNX | @lhagan2025 https://t.co/mbvbGw8IJz pic.twitter.com/443NoGuvNg
— Notre Dame Softball (@NDsoftball) March 29, 2026
Notre Dame called on the arm of Kami Kamzik, who threw six innings in yesterday’s 6-2 win. The junior tossed a 1-2-3 inning, including a swinging strikeout for the final out.
With the top of the order up, Wichell lobbed a ball into left field for her third hit of the game. After a strikeout, Zachary stepped up and drilled the first pitch way over the fence in left field for a two-run homer to send the Irish to their second ACC series win of the season.