ND Softball: Irish hope to avoid letdown
By MATT LOZAR
Sports Writer
After defeating a top-ranked opponent, all of the hard work is lost if the team suffers a letdown in its next game.
Coming into Thursday's game against 5-24 IUPU-Fort Wayne, the Notre Dame softball team knew maintaining a high energy level for the second straight game would be difficult.
"Games like today are very tough to play, especially after a big win," said head coach Deanna Gumpf. "We talked about it going in, and we knew it was going to be hard. It's tough to really get excited and get up. We just had to take care of business today, and we did."
Using Liz Hartmann's second game-winning home run in as many games and senior Jenny Kriech's first career home run at Ivy Field, the Irish defeated the Mastodons 5-1. The victory extended Notre Dame's win streak to eight games and improved the squad's record to 29-13.
IUPU-FW jumped on the board in the first with its only run of the game, off Notre Dame pitcher Carrie Wisen. IUPU-FW third baseman Sonia Atienzo led off the game with a single. After Wisen struck out pitcher Mindy Pomeroy, shortstop Angela Grabczak drove a triple to the gap in right center, scoring Antienzo and giving the Mastodons the early 1-0 lead.
The Irish came back in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Kriech sent a one-out single to left and stole second. She moved to third on Megan Ciolli's groundout. An error by Grabczak on Andrea Loman's ground ball enabled Kriech to score.
Coming right back in the fourth, Lisa Mattison reached on an error by Mastodon second baseman Tierni Green. Hartmann then sent a 1-1 pitch from Pomeroy over the left-field fence, giving the Irish a 3-1 lead.
"[Batting] feels good right now," Hartmann said. "I feel relaxed, and I feel like my hands are flowing where they should."
With three wins in the past eight days coming on go-ahead hits by freshmen, the Irish are finally benefiting from giving the first-year players early playing time.
"For our freshmen to come in and do what they've done this year, is huge," Gumpf said. "And what that does, it just takes the pressure off everybody else. I think a big part of it is putting those freshman into the fire like we did in the beginning of the year. So now, they have experienced everything. And it has really helped."
Kriech used her glove and bat to seal the game for Notre Dame. Her diving catch on Mandy Jaffe's fly ball prevented the Mastodons from getting the leadoff hitter on base in the fifth.
Then in the sixth, Kriech made IUPU-FW pay for their fourth error of the game. Second baseman Alexis Madrid reached the miscue by Nicole Stoppenhagen, the second shortstop on the day for the Mastodons. Kriech hit the 2-0 pitch over the center-field fence and finally got her home run at Ivy Field.
"I think Jenny had a great day," Gumpf said. "I think Jenny hit the ball, and she played great defensively."
Wisen went the distance for the Irish and improved to 12-4 on the season. The freshman gave up four hits, walked two and struck out 11 but didn't have her best stuff.
"I just don't think she [Wisen] was as sharp as she usually is," Gumpf said. "I think she just wasn't as sharp."
This weekend, Notre Dame plays its final Big East road games, with doubleheaders at Boston College Saturday and Providence Sunday. The Eagles are in fourth place in the conference, while the Friars are 4-12 in the Big East.
"They are both scrappy, and they are both good," Gumpf said. "BC just swept Syracuse, so that tells you right there [how good they are]. … They are two good teams that are going to be pumped and ready for us. We have to go in there and just get after it."
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 26, 2002
