May 4, 2001
Box Score
VILLANOVA, PA - The #8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish held Villanova to only four hits en route to a doubleheader sweep of the Wildcats in Big East softball action on May 4. Notre Dame combined to pound out 16 hits and 12 runs in the doubleheader to earn the victory in game one 8-0 and game two 4-0. With the two wins, the Irish now stand at 49-3 overall and 18-0 in the Big East Conference, while the Wildcats fall to 38-8 overall and 13-5 in conference action.
In game one, Notre Dame pounced on the Wildcats immediately, scoring two runs in their first at bat. The Irish would get their two runs courtesy of two walks and clutch two out hitting. With two outs in the inning and runners at first and second base, Notre Dame' s Lizzy Lemire singled to left field to score the runner on second and then would advance to second on the throw. Andrea Loman followed Lemire with her own single to score the second run. The Irish almost had a third run, but Villanova left fielder Robin Flier (Lafayette, CA/Acalanes) gunned Lemire down as she tried to score from second base. The game would remain scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when the Irish broke things open. Loman and Andria Bledsoe opened the inning for Notre Dame with back to back singles. The Irish would then load the bases when pitcher Jen Sharron reached on a walk. After a fielder's choice got the first out at home plate, the Irish's Jenny Kriech roped a double to score to two runs. Notre Dame was not finished as they got two more runs off Villanova miscues. A passed ball and then an error allowed Notre Dame to take a 6-0 lead.
The Irish would put the game away in the top of the sixth inning when Sharron hit a home run to center field. Mattison would double to plate their eighth and final run on the afternoon. Sharron earned the victory on the mound to improve to 25-2 on the season. She threw a complete game, allowing only three hits will striking out five. Keri Stoller (West Linn, OR/West Linn) took the loss on the mound. She falls to 19-6 on the season after allowing 11 hits, eight runs, six earned runs, and three walks, while striking out two Irish batters.
In game two, Villanova hung tough with the impressive Fighting Irish behind the pitching of sophomore standout Theresa Hornick (Edmonds, WA/Seattle Prep). Hornick was phenomenal on the mound despite taking only her second loss of the year. Hornick threw all seven innings, allowing only five hits and three earned runs. She struck out three and walked one in the losing effort. Hornick now stands at 16-2 on the season.
Opposing Hornick was freshman Kristin Schmidt. Schmidt earned the complete game win to improve to 24-1 on the season. The freshman had a no-hitter going until Sara Carlson (Langley, B.C./H.D. Stafford) looped a single into left field. Schmidt allowed only one hit and three walks on the afternoon.
She received help early from her teammates getting two runs in the second inning courtesy of and RBI single from Bledsoe and an RBI triple from Alexis Madrid. The Irish would tack on insurance runs in the fourth and seventh innings to earn the victory 4-0.
The two victories insure Notre Dame of their sixth consecutive Big East regular season title.
Villanova will be in action next on May 5th at noon when they host Pittsburgh in the final regular season Big East games prior to the start of the Big East tournament. Both Villanova and Notre Dame will be in action in the tournament that will feature the top four teams in the conference and be held at Villanova University from May 10-12.
