Irish Sweep Series-Opening Doubleheader at #15 Virginia Tech share
BLACKSBURG, Va. Notre Dame notched two Top-25 wins in the series-opening doubleheader with No. 15/13 Virginia Tech Friday, emerging with a 2-1 victory in the first game and following with a 6-5 win in the second.
With the win in Game 1, head coach Deanna Gumpf earned her 775th-career victory (now at 776), and with both wins on Friday, the Irish increased their total wins over the Top 25 to 96 since 1994.
With two wins Friday, Notre Dame forces Virginia Tech to not win their first ACC series all season, as the Hokies won all seven prior conference series they played in 2021.
Irish Clinch Series with Doubleheader Sweep over Virginia, Mount Seventh-Inning Comeback in Game 2 share
NOTRE DAME, Ind. Notre Dame Softball (21-12, 12-10 ACC) earned two wins in the doubleheader Saturday, topping Virginia (13-24, 9-19 ACC) 6-3 in the first game, followed by a 3-2 seventh-inning comeback win in the second game. The Irish extend the home win streak to 12 games, and secure the series win heading into Sunday’s finale after having won Friday’s contest as well.
Senior Alexis Holloway pitched a complete game in the first outing of the day, striking out six and improving to 9-6, as junior Payton Tidd followed it up with another complete-game victory, allowing just three hits and striking out three, moving to 11-5.
RV Notre Dame (2-2) dropped the first game of its ACC Pod slate Friday in a 2-3 loss to Syracuse. Senior pitcher Alexis Holloway (1-1) shouldered the loss, even with eight strikeouts on the day.
Photo credit: David Campbell, Alabama State University
MONTGOMERY, Alabama RV Notre Dame opened the 2021 softball season at Alabama State’s Stinger Classic Saturday with a 1-1 record on the day. First, the Irish blasted to a 9-0 win over North Alabama, and battled with No. 8 Alabama through five innings until the Tide opened it up to end it 0-10.
Junior outfielder Emma Clark wrote her name in the history books against North Alabama, stealing four bases to match a single-game program record. She joined Ruth Kmak as the only two players in Irish history to steal four bases in a game. Kmak’s record came vs. Loyola-Chicago (April 16, 1990). Clark batted 1.000 in her three at-bats, also notching an RBI.