Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2
Bel Air, MD – College of Notre Dame softball splits a doubleheader with Cedar Crest College in the Gators 2011 home opener. Notre Dame fell 14-0 in game one, but pulled out a 6-5 comeback victory in game two.
In game one of the series Cedar Crest dominated play, batting through the line-up in the top of the first inning. Notre Dame’s defense shut down the Falcons bats allowing only one run through the next three innings. Notre Dame would fall 14-0 in five innings of play. Kirsten Smulovitz was impressive in her relief appearance on the mound. The sophomore struck out one and allowed only one walk in 4.2 innings of work.
Game two of the afternoon doubleheader was a competitive from the outset. Notre Dame’s Smulovitz retired the first three Falcon batters. Smulovitz reached base on a single in the bottom of the first and advanced to third on a hit by Ashley Taylor. Sophomore Cara Corsaro stepped up to the plate and hit a single driving in two runs, giving Notre Dame an early 2-0 lead. Cedar Crest responded with a run in the top half of the second inning. The Gators regained a two run lead with an RBI double to center field by Sam Smith in the bottom of the third inning.
Strong defensive play by Cedar Crest in the fourth inning kept the Falcons within two runs of Notre Dame. The Falcons strung together several hits over the next two innings to drive in three runs and take a 4-3 lead.
Falcon’s pitcher, Natalia Dial, sat Notre Dame’s batters down one, two, three in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dial then produced offensively for Cedar Crest in the top of the seventh with an RBI double to give the Falcons a 5-3 lead.
The Gators need to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh if they wanted to split the series with Cedar Crest. Amber Lovejoy started the inning off with a single and advanced to second base on an error by the left fielder. With the top of the line-up now up, Mindy Daugherty hit a single that moved Lovejoy to third base. Daugherty stole second, giving the Gators two runners in scoring position. Smulovitz loaded the bases with a single. Taylor hit a two run double into center field to tie the game at 5-5. Corsaro stepped to the plate with two runners on and hit an RBI single to win the game.
Corsaro went three-for-four with three RBIs in game two. Whitney Nixon went two-for-three at the plate for Notre Dame. Taylor and Smulovitz both hit .500 for the game.
College of Notre Dame is back in action on Wednesday afternoon when they travel to non-conference opponent Wilson College.
