DePaul Softball Tops Notre Dame, 4-1

Lindsay Chouinard

The Blue Demons (48-5-1) will move on to round three at the NCAA Region 7 Tournament after a 4-1 victory over Notre Dame. Steady pitching from Lindsay Chouinard made up for four DePaul errors and allowed the Demons to prevail.

The No. 4 Demons out-hit the Fighting Irish 7-6. Saskia Roberson went 2-for-2 and hit her second home run of the tournament.

Notre Dame gave DePaul an early scare in the top of the first but stranded two after the Demons ended the inning with tough defense.

The Blue Demons put two on in the first also but could not get a timely hit to score a run. Sarah Martz hit one up the middle and Roberson followed with a walk. Two fly-outs ended the inning short.

DePaul put two runs on the board in the second inning on one hit, a walk and an error. Katy Kukman walked and Laura Visin entered to pinch run. Gina Ramacci then reached on an error by Notre Dame’s third baseman. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Dana Kenney and scored on a single that Christina Douglas hit to the gap in right center.

Roberson led off the bottom of the third with line-drive home run to center field, increasing the lead to 3-0. It was her 16th of the season and her second of the tournament. Chouinard followed with a single up the middle and Jamie Lachenberg entered to pinch run. Kukman walked and Ramacci singled to left field to load the bases. With one out, Kenney flied out to right field. Lachenberg tried to score after tagging up but was thrown out at home, ending the inning with two runners on.

Notre Dame rallied back in the top of the fifth to notch a run. With two outs, the Blue Demons walked Andrea Loman, then Andria Bledsoe reached on a muffed throw. Lisa Mattison came through with a key single to right center that scored Loman. A ground out to third base prevented any more Irish from scoring and ended the inning.

DePaul lengthened the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. The bases were loaded on two hits and a walk. Kukman hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored pinch runner Ashley Parker.

Chouinard (33-4) threw 142 pitches in the seven-inning win. She struck out five and allowed no earned runs. Her ERA improves to 0.58.