Home opener yields split decision for ND
By RACHEL PROTZMAN
Sports Writer
Notre Dame softball kicked off its home season with a split decision against the Purdue Boilermakers.
The Irish, No. 22 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Assoc-iation Division I poll, entered the game with 1-5 all-time mark against the Boiler-makers with their only win coming in a split decision last year. Notre Dame, now 19-7, was victorious in game one as it shut down Purdue 8-0 in just six innings.
Scoreless going into the second inning, Notre Dame was quick to grab the lead. Sophomore Jarrah Myers started the Irish with a single before freshman Andria Bledsoe belted a single to right field. Lizzy Lemire hit a hard single to left field to drive in two runs for the Irish before scoring herself on a single by pitcher Jennifer Sharron. Junior Melanie Alkire grabbed a double to knock in three runs to end the Irish rally. The Boilermakers had a scoring opportunity in the fourth with one out and runners on second and third, but Sharron was able to strike out two batters to quell the rally.
In the bottom of the sixth Bledsoe got on base by way of a Boilermaker error before advancing to third on a double by Lemire. With two strikes, junior Danielle Klayman singled to drive in the run and end the game early. Notre Dame was not so lucky in game two action as it fell to Purdue 2-1.
"You come out and you win big the first game and go into a second game complacent and that's what happens, you get beat," said Irish head coach Liz Miller.
The Irish grabbed an early lead as sophomore Jennifer Kriech singled before scoring on a series of sacrifices. But it was not enough to keep the Boilermakers from rallying in the second inning. Purdue racked up three hits while scoring two runs and the lead.
Notre Dame had another opportunity to score in the sixth, but was unable to execute. Kriech slammed a double into deep center before advancing to third, but was left stranded.
"I thought we were aggressive in the first game. I did not think we swung the bat aggressively in the second game at all," Miller said. "We just made contact; we just didn't come out and swing hard. We just thought that game two started where game one left off and it doesn't work like that."
Notre Dame, following a stellar spring break performance with seven wins and just two losses, will travel this weekend to Purdue to compete in a weekend tournament against Kent State and No. 13 Michigan on Saturday and Toledo and Purdue on Sunday.
All Sports Stories for Friday, March 24, 2000
