March 24, 1998

Notre Dame Splits Home Opening Doubleheader

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Notre Dame's softball team opened its 1998 home schedule with a doubleheader split against Eastern Michigan in two five-inning games. The Irish won the first game 1-0 to improve to 7-3 all-time in home-opening games. The Eagles scored a run in the top of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie for a 2-1 win in the second game. Notre Dame's record now stands at 9-14 while Eastern Michigan is 6-21. The Irish return to the diamond with a home doubleheader against Loyola (Chicago) on Thursday, March 26, at 4:00 p.m.

Notre Dame scored the first game's only run in the bottom of the fourth when Melanie Alkire led off with a single before Korrie Allen came in to pinch run for the freshman. Kris McCleary and Sarah Mathison used back-to-back singles to score Allen with no outs. The Irish could not build on their lead after three straight groundball fielders choices ended the inning. Alkire picked up her second win of the season by allowing just two hits in five shutout innings.

The Eagles jumped out a to 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two when Crystal Ratcliff led off with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, went to third on a fielder choice and scored on an RBI single by Colleen Caplin. Notre Dame came right back with a tying run in the bottom of the second. Lizzy Lemire led off the second inning with a single, stole second base, went to third on a single by Korrie Allen and scored on an error on Allen's single to knot the score at 1-1.

Eastern Michigan squandered lead off walks in the third and fourth while Notre Dame wasted a leadoff single in the third and had a runner at second with one out in the fourth but could not score. The Eagles went ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth with two singles and walk to load the bases. Kelly Ivie then scored from third base on a wild pitch with two outs.

Lisa Tully led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a fielders choice. A line-out double play ended the game.

Game One
Eastern Michigan    000 00  0  2  1
Notre Dame          000 10  1  4  0
Melanie Alkire and Kris McCleary.  Carrie Knight, Aimee Hamilton (4) and Lisa Beavers.
WP-Alkire 2-0.  LP-Hamilton 2-6.
2B-Alkire.
Game Two
Eastern Michigan    010 01  2  4  3
Notre Dame          010 00  1  6  2
Aimee Hamilton, Staci Wolf (5) and Jaclyn Bayliss.  
Jennifer Sharron, Kelly Nichols (5) and Korrie Allen.
WP-Hamilton 2-4. LP-Nichols 3-4.  Save-Wolf 1.