WASHINGTON, D.C. – Notre Dame softball traveled to Gallaudet University this afternoon in their second meeting of the season. In their second doubleheader against the Bison this month, the Gators split with Gallaudet taking game one, 12-3 and falling in game two, 13-9.
GAME 1
The Gators struggled to get the bats going early against the Bison. In the first inning, NDMU fell behind early, giving up one run in the first and two in the fourth inning.
Notre Dame entered the top of the fifth down, 3-0 with sophomore
Rena Dyson leading off. Dyson got on first after a misplayed ball by the shortstop. Sophomore
Samantha Miguez Tolliver following Dyson, also reached first, this time on a fielders choice that advanced Dyson to second.
With runners on first and second and no outs, sophomore
Lucy Polvinale drew a walk to put the bases loaded with the top of the order due up. Freshman
Maci Lopez posted the Gators first hit of the day, knocking a single to center field to score Dyson from third.
Junior
Naudiya Hopkins stepped up to the plate, again with bases loaded and no outs. Hopkins hit an infield single to score Miguez-Tolliver, getting the Gators within one run of the Bison. Following a foul out by junior
Isa Carunungan, senior
Samantha Kastner drilled a base-clearing double to right field.
Three runs scored to give NDMU a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth.
Next up, sophomore
Jodie Bronushas grounded out to the shortstop, but Kastner advanced to third on the play and an attempted putout by soared high, allowing Kastner to advance home. The Gators finished the inning, taking a 6-3 lead.
In the sixth and seventh innings, the Gators tacked on three more runs in each inning, while holding the Bison to just two hits the rest of the game. NDMU took their third victory of the season, 12-3.
Lopez led the team with two hits, three RBIs, and a run scored, while Kastner added one hit, a run scored, and three RBIs. Kastner added to her to team-leading doubles with one, while Carunungan notched the team's second triple this season.
Bronushas struck out a career-high, nine batters, while also securing her third win of the season.
GAME 2
In the bottom of the first in game two, the Gators fell behind early, giving up three runs to the Bison. In the top of the second, NDMU got on the board after freshman
Amethyst Stevens got on base after being hit by a pitch.
Stevens advanced around to third after a passed ball and wild pitch. With two outs down, Miguez-Tolliver reached on an error by the shortstop to allow Stevens to score from third base.
After giving up two runs in the bottom of the second, the Gators went into the third down, 3-1. In their most productive inning of the game, NDMU scored six runs, batting around the order.
With one out down, Carunungan reach first on a walk and advanced to second by a single by Kastner. Following Kastner, Bronushas walked to see the bases loaded and one out with Stevens at the plate. Stevens knocked in a long single to score two, Carunungan from third and Kastner from second.
Dyson hit a single to center field to score Bronushas from second. A misplayed ball in the outfield allowed Dyson and Stevens to advance. A groundout by Miguez-Tolliver scored Stevens from third and moved Dyson to third with Polvinale up to bat.
Polvinale also notched a single to the outfield to score Dyson from third. At the top of the order, Lopez also recorded a single, to move Polvinale in scoring position. Hopkins brought her home of a long single to center field.
The Gators in the third inning, posted six runs off six hits, leading 7-5.
In the remaining innings, the Gators struggled to score while giving up eight more runs to the Bison. NDMU scored a run in the fifth and seventh innings, but eventually fell 13-9.
Lopez and Dyson led the team with two hits apiece, while Lopez and Stevens led with two RBIs each.
Splitting time in the circle, Carunungan and Bronushas combined for four strikeouts.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Gators are on the road on Saturday as they travel to Cedar Crest College for their first road Colonial States Athletic Conference doubleheader of the season.
