Irish win big over break in California
By RACHAEL PROTZMAN
Sports Writer
The Irish softball team had a busy spring break, as they wreaked havoc through California and boosted their record to 18-6, tallying seven wins, and losses to two of the nation's top three teams during the week.
Several Irish softballers took home individual honors as well. Michelle Moshel and Andrea Loman were named Big East pitcher of the week and rookie of the week, respectively
Junior Melanie Alkire and freshman Andria Bledsoe set a precedent for them, earning Big East player of the week and rookie of the week honors, respectively on March 13.
Notre Dame kicked off its successful spring break with two wins over San Diego State. Pitcher Jennifer Sharron held the Aztecs to just four hits in game one as she earned her seventh win of the season and gave Notre Dame its fifth straight shutout, 3-0.
Alkire led the Irish in game two action with a grand slam while sophomore Jarrah Myers added a two-run homerun to power Notre Dame to an 11-3 win.
Notre Dame continued its winning streak with a 4-0 victory over Loyola
Marymount. Alkire led the Irish with her fourth homerun this season, knocking in two runs.
The Irish then traveled to Fullerton, Calif. to compete in the 2000 Kia Classic at Cal State Fullerton.
Notre Dame started the tournament with a 1-0 win over CSU Northridge. Sharron, who built her record to 8-1, allowed only four hits in her fifth shutout this year. Danielle Klayman singled in the second to knock in Loman for the win.
It took third-ranked Arizona State to end Notre Dame's 11-game winning streak as the Sun Devils took the 2-1 win. Sophomore Jennifer Kriech knocked in Notre Dame's only run with a triple. Arizona State tied the game in the third before scoring again in the sixth for the win.
Loman led Notre Dame in their 4-2 win over the Texas Longhorns becoming only the fifth player in Irish history to hit two homeruns in one game. Moshel struck out 10 to earn her fifth win of the year.
Kriech kicked off a 4-2 win over No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette with her first homerun of the season. Liz Elmira grabbed an RBI double and Andria Bledsoe also hit an RBI double before scoring herself to give the Irish a 4-1 lead.
Louisiana-Lafayette scored again in the sixth and attempted to score a third time, but failed as Myers got the tag-out at the plate.
Notre Dame improved to 4-1 in tournament action in the quarterfinals of the Kia Classic with a 4-2 win over sixth-ranked Oklahoma. Myers led Notre Dame as she slugged a grand slam in the first inning to give the Irish a 4-0 lead. Oklahoma answered in the fourth with two runs, but it was too little and too late.
No. 2 Arizona sent the Irish home with a 6-3 loss in the semifinal of the Kia Classic. Sharron and Klayman both recorded their first career homeruns, but it was not enough to overcome Arizona's two three-run blasts for the win.
Notre Dame will play two games against Purdue Thursday in their home opener.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, March 22, 2000
