SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Graduate pitcher Alexis Laudenslager shutout the North Carolina State Wolfpack Sunday afternoon as the Fighting Irish softball team earned a 2-0 win. The win is the University of Notre Dame’s fifth consecutive and ninth in its last 10 games. The Irish improved to 20-10 overall and are now 5-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference action. NC State is now 18-12 and 1-8 in league play.
Laudenslager started in the circle, throwing the complete 7.0 innings. It was her second complete game of the season, and first complete game shutout of an ACC opponent. She struck out eight Wolfpack hitters for the second time this weekend, having totaled eight in Friday’s start.
The Irish offense had six hits in the game, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Emily Tran. Carlli Kloss, Jane Kronenberger, Rachel Allen and Mickey Winchell each tallied a hit. Winchell and Tran drove in runs with Kloss and pinch runner Tenley Sweet scoring.
How It Happened
Sunday’s game boiled down to one inning proving to be the difference. Allen led off with a single up the middle and moved up when Anna Holloway dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Winchell battled with the NC State pitcher, and on the tenth pitch of the at bat, drove a double to left center to drive in the run. Kloss followed with a ground ball to short that was mishandled, allowing Winchell to take third. The Irish tried to manufacture a run, but the first to third situation was handled well by NC State, with Kloss taking third and Winchell out on the play. Tran followed with a single that stayed in the infield to score Kloss and put the Irish up 2-0.
NC State put runners on in all but one inning throughout the day, but Laudenslager proved equal to the task. In the sixth the San Diego-native picked struck out a pinch hitter to squash the rally. The seventh inning saw her issue a one-out walk, but earned another strikeout and got a ground out to retire the threat and earn the win.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action Tuesday evening as they will host Central Michigan at Melissa Cook Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.