ND Softball: Wins over Providence keep Irish undefeated in league
BY JUSTIN SCHUVER
Sports Writer
The only thing that has stopped the Irish in Big East play this season is Mother Nature.
After having eight games postponed this season due to inclement weather, the Irish have vaulted into first place in the Big East, improving to 8-0 in their conference after 5-1 and 10-1 victories over Providence Tuesday. They sit two points ahead of Boston College (7-1) for the conference lead.
Notre Dame and Providence were originally scheduled to meet on April 5, but a winter storm that affected much of the New England area forced a cancellation of the doubleheader.
The Irish still have one Big East series to make up this season — a doubleheader against Virginia Tech that was snowed out one week earlier.
Notre Dame's offense continues to hit on all cylinders, as the team put up double-digit hits in both games, making it four straight games that the Irish have scored 10 hits or more.
The pitching staff continued to shine as well, giving up only five hits and allowing just two runs, one of which was unearned. Irish pitchers have not given up more than five hits in their last 10 contests.
The Friars first got on the board in game one early, using a single and a double to score a run in the bottom of the first.
Notre Dame finally answered four innings later when Megan Ciolli led off the fifth inning with a home run to tie the game. It was just Ciolli's second homer of the season.
Alexis Madrid followed with a single, but was forced out at second on a grounder by Andrea Loman. Freshman designated player Meagan Ruthrauff continued with a single, followed by a single by Andria Bledsoe that allowed Loman to score.
Liz Hartmann hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Ruthrauff to score from third, and Lisa Mattison followed with an RBI single to close out the scoring in the inning.
The Irish added one more run in the sixth on a Madrid RBI single.
Freshman Heather Booth, who Monday was named Big East co-pitcher of the week for April 6, continued her hot pitching by only allowing one run on four hits in her seventh complete game of the season.
The Irish bats cooled down at the beginning of game two, but starter Steffany Stenglein kept the Friars off the scoreboard through four innings.
Bledsoe led off the fourth inning with a single, after which Hartmann fouled out. Mattison then connected with a single to put runners at first and second.
Mallorie Lenn was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Kellie Middleton bounced into a fielder's choice at third as Bledsoe was gunned down at home. With two outs, Ciolli was also hit by a pitch, forcing in the first run of the game.
Madrid then followed with a single to put the Irish up 2-0. Middleton was caught in a run-down between second and third for the third out of the inning.
The Irish scored two more runs in the fifth when Loman scored on a wild pitch and Bledsoe had an RBI single. Loman came through in the sixth with a two-RBI double and Ruthrauff scored on an error.
Notre Dame added three runs in the seventh to put the game away. Bledsoe led off the inning with a walk, and then stole second. Mattison was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second, and Middelton came through with a two-out, RBI double.
With Middleton on second and Mattison on third, Ciolli hit a single to score Middleton. Mattison also scored on the play on an error by the Friar left fielder.
Notre Dame used three pitchers in the second game, as Stenglein went four innings, giving up two hits, two walks, and striking out three for her seventh win of the season. Carrie Wisen worked two innings of perfect relief and Jessica Sharron finished off the contest in the seventh with a perfect inning.
The Irish return to action Thursday at home against IUPU-Fort Wayne. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Ivy Field.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, April 16, 2003
