Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2
Washington, DC – College of Notre Dame of Maryland softball splits a doubleheader against Gallaudet University. The Gators dropped the opening game 14-3, but secured a 6-2 victory in game two.
Notre Dame stepped up to the plate at the top of the first inning and drove in two runs. The Bison’s responded in the bottom half of the inning with four runs of their own, taking a 4-2 advantage. The Gators pulled to back within a run in the second inning. Gallaudet’s offensive again drove in multiple runs in the second inning.
Kirsten Smulovitz (Fallston, MD/Towson Catholic) and the Notre Dame defense would hold the Bison’s scoreless in the bottom of the third. Notre Dame was not able to produce any runs in the top of the fourth inning and continued to trail 6-3. Gallaudet’s bats came alive in the bottom half of the inning and knocked in eight runs, ending the game in four innings.
In game two Amber Lovejoy (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty) stepped into the pitching circle tonight for Notre Dame. The Gators again jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Over the next four innings neither team put a run on the scoreboard. The Bison’s offense broke the scoring draught with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The top of the sixth inning saw multiple Notre Dame batters reach base. Patience at the plate drove and smart base running extended the Gators lead to 5-1. Gallaudet tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning, cutting their deficit to three runs.
The Gators entered the final inning with a 5-2 lead and used several stolen bases to pick up one more run. Gallaudet entered the bottom half of the inning needing to score four runs to send the game into extra innings. The Bison’s came up short in this area with strong pitching by Lovejoy and smart defensive plays.
Mindy Daugherty (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) finished the doubleheader with one hit, three runs scored, one RBI, four walks, three stolen bases and six putouts. Whitney Nixon (Baltimore, MD/Dundalk) posted two hits, one walk, two stolen bases, two runs scored and three putouts over two games. Ashley Taylor (Edgewood, MD/Harford Tech) played strong defensively with six putouts for the Gators at shortstop.
Notre Dame improves to 4-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Gators will host St. Joseph’s College of Brooklyn on Sunday, April 10th at Harford Community College.
