Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Notre Dame's offense exploded for 29 hits over two games as the Fighting Irish swept a doubleheader from Valparaiso 11-0 and 15-1 on Wednesday afternoon in Notre Dame, Ind.

In the opener, the Fighting Irish scored two runs in the opening inning on a Andrea Loman homerun that cleared the centerfield scoreboard and added eight runs on seven hits in the second to blow the game wide open. In the fourth, Lisa Mattison went deep to add the 11th run as Notre Dame pounded out 12 hits in the opener.

Heather Booth and Jessica Sharron teamed up to throw a one-hitter, an infield single by Tana Barnes (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) to lead off the fifth. Booth struck out six in three innings to register the victory, while Brittany Atteberry (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) surrendered ten hits and ten runs, seven earned, while suffering the loss.

Game two saw the hosts tally four runs in the opening inning off of six hits. After the Fighting Irish added two runs in the second, the Crusaders found the scoreboard in the third. Nicole Dubs (Genoa City, Wis./Badger H.S.) singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch after being moved along by three walks in the inning by Notre Dame pitchers. Valpo's threat was snuffed out though with the bases left loaded.

The Fighting Irish third saw the hosts plate seven runners, all unearned after the Brown and Gold committed four errors in the field. Two muffed throws and two throwing errors added to the four hits Notre Dame got in the inning. Two more runs scored in the fourth for the game's final margin.

Carrie Wisen and Sharron combined on the second one-hitter of the day for the Fighting Irish (28-11), while Amanda Gilbertson (Murrieta, Calif./West Albany H.S., Ore.) took the loss for Valpo, allowing 13 runs, with just five being earned. Notre Dame banged out 17 hits in game two.

The Crusaders (7-27) will return to action on Friday afternoon when they host Western Illinois in a Mid-Continent Conference doubleheader. Game one is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.