Langhorne, Pa.- The Notre Dame (MD) softball split their CSAC double header with Cairn University on Saturday, Apr. 8. The Gators fell 3-1 in game one before bouncing back for an 11-1 win in game two. 
 
GAME 1
The Gators (7-8 Overall; 2-1 CSAC) struggled to find their footing, being held to one hit in the first three innings. Meanwhile, the Highlanders (7-10 Overall; 2-1 CSAC) capitalized on four early hits, plating runs in the first and second innings. 
 
NDMU broke through in the fourth inning. Jessie Leatherwood led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error. Leatherwood worked herself into scoring position, and Lilyian Hafner blasted a single up the middle to cut the deficit down to one. 
 
Carin answered back, scoring another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Gators' defense kept them in the game. Ciarra Bockstie pitched the entire game, allowing three runs on eight hits, while striking out two Highlanders. NDMU had one final shot to rally back in the top of the seventh inning. The Gators had two runners reach base, but could not bring either home, falling 3-1.
 
GAME 2 
The Gators (8-8 Overall; 3-1 CSAC) grabbed an early in game two, with the offense exploding in the top of the third inning. Candace Forgach-Aguilar and Emma Livingston registered back-to-back infield singles to put a pair of runners on base. Jessie Leatherwood blasted a three-run home run over the right field fence to give NDMU the lead. Miranda Burton kept the rally going, lining a double into left field. Moments later, Hafner singled up the middle, bringing home Burton. Later in the inning, Bocksite lifted a single into right center, allowing Hafner to score and give NDMU a 5-0 lead. 
 
NDMU tacked on several more runs in the fourth inning. With runners on second and third, Hafner blasted another single up the middle, plating both runs. Bethani Newbold pushed the lead to eight, by driving a single through the right side that allowed Hafner to score. 
 
The Highlanders (7-11 Overall; 2-2 CSAC) scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to stay alive, forcing a sixth inning. In the circle for NDMU, Leatherwood pitched 6.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while registering seven strikeouts.
 
The Gators put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning. Burton launched a double into the right center field gap, scoring Leatherwood to bring the lead back to eight. Later in the inning, Newbold and Bockstie fired back-to-back RBI singles, pushing the lead to ten. In the bottom of the inning, Leatherwood forced three straight ground outs securing the victory. 
 
NOTABLES

• Hafner had a huge outing in game two, going 4-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
• Leatherwood launched her first homerun of the season, launching a three-run shot in the third inning. 
• Burton went 3-4 with a double, driving in an RBI and scoring three RBIs
• Bockstie finished the game 2-2 with two RBIs
• Forgach-Aguilar consistently found ways to get on base, going 3-3 with a run scored

 
WHO'S NEXT 
The Gators remain on the road, traveling to face Rosemont College on Thursday, Apr. 13. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 PM. 
 
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