After dominating DePaul in a midweek showdown at home, the Irish headed to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on the No. 12 ranked Virginia Tech Hookies. Only scoring 5 runs all weekend, the Irish were swept in the double-header on Saturday 5-0 and 12-4. The results did not change on Sunday as they once again fell 15-1. The Irish move to 6-12 in conference play and 19-24-1 overall following the disappointing weekend.
Game 1
On Friday, April 11, Notre Dame began the first game against the Hokies hoping to replicate some magic from their series win against Virginia at home two weeks prior. Freshman pitcher Brianne Weiss started her fifth game of the season and fourth in conference play for the Irish. She started by walking the first three batters with no outs in the first. Freshman Jordan Lynch started off the Virginia Tech offense with a single up the middle that brought the lead to 2-0 ending the first.
The Irish only found 3 hits throughout the entire game, the first coming in the third from senior utility Jane Kronenberger. Senior outfielder Emily Tran got on base two batters later after a fielding error, but Virginia Tech's Emma Lemley calmy struck out the next batter to avoid any damage.
Sophomore pitcher and first baser Kami Kamzik took over from the bump in the fifth inning for the Irish and allowed 6 hits and 3 runs in the final two innings. Freshman utility player Caroline O'Brien hit an infield single in the top of the bring her hitting streak to nine games, which is now the longest of any player this season. Despite O'Brien's work, the Hokies' Lemley successfully completed the shutout in 114 pitches only allowing 3 hits, while striking out seven batters. The Hokies won with a comfortable 5-0 victory.
Game 2
The Irish hoped to turn the momentum early later in the afternoon for the second game. They began with back-to-back singles from O'Brien and sophomore infielder Addison Amaral. These two singles were significant moments for both players as Amaral earned her 100th career hit and O'Brien extended her hitting streak to 10 games. Virginia Tech retired the next batters for the Irish to once again keep runners in scoring position off the board.
Virginia Tech responded in the bottom of the first to once again take an early lead. They scored the first run off of junior pitcher Micaela Kastor on a sacrifice fly, and the second run on an RBI fielder's choice.
Senior infielder Anna Holloway put the Irish on the board with a home run right over the center field fence to cut the lead to 1-2. This home run marked the third of the season for the senior. Virginia Tech kept the ball in the air hitting a 2-run homer that brought the lead back to three 4-1.
O'Brien did her best to cut into the 6-2 deficit in the fourth inning with a base hit up the middle of the field. This hit scored two runners and brought the margin back within reach at 6-4. She was tagged out at the plate trying to score on a ball past the catcher to end the inning.
Senior pitcher Shannon Becker replaced Kastor in the bottom of the fourth to make her first appearance of the series, to hold the Hokies scoreless. In the bottom of the fifth, Virginia Tech regained the momentum to score 3 runs. Even as graduate student pitcher Alexis Laudenslager replaced Becker in the fifth, the Hokies added three more runs to reach the run-rule and win 12-4 after five innings. The Irish hoped to salvage a disappointing series in the final Sunday matchup with a desperate need to get the bats moving.
Game 3
This final contest did not begin any better than the first. In fact, the Irish were obliterated in the first inning, allowing 2 home runs and 6 hits to trail 8-0. Notre Dame found the scoreboard in the third inning from an RBI groundout by O'Brien to prevent the shutout. Despite the RBI, O'Brien's 10-game streak came to a close on Sunday evening.
Holloway and freshman catcher Rebecca Eckart each had 2 hits in the top of the third. However, the Hookies responded with seven more runs in the third to lead. The game ended in five innings after the Irish were held scoreless the rest of the way and lost 15-1.
Virginia Tech held the Irish to only 13 hits throughout the weekend with one home run. Facing one of the most talented starting units, the Irish struggled to find any early momentum scoring and attempted to claw back from early deficits in each game.
Notre Dame will look to bounce back at Michigan State on Tuesday, April 15, before heading to Durham over the weekend to take on Duke. The first pitch will take place at 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network Plus.
