Notre Dame Varisty Softball took its tenth straight district title as they defeated Avondale 5-2 and Marian 12-5. The wins helped the Irish improve to 31-4 on the year and finish the season undefeated at home.
In the opening game Notre Dame struck first as they plated 2 runs in the opening inning. Junior 3rd baseman Maddie McClune opened up the game with a single and scored on a ground out and junior pitcher Caley Gleason doubled and scored on a Madeleine Fazio single. Avondale narrowed the gap by scoring an unearned run in the 3rd on an error, sacrifice and a pair of singles to make it 2-1. Notre Dame answered in the bottom of the inning as senior centerfielder Liz Swartz singled and came home on a Kacey Edmonds single. The Irish added a pair of insurance runs in the 4th when Paige Greenwell, Anna Madison and Kara Thornton all singled to start the inning and Madison and Thornton scored. The Yellowjackets scored an unearned run in the 5th to climb within 3 when Emma DiNardo came on in relief and set down the final 6 batters in order to pick up her 7th save. Gleason got the win giving up 2 unearned runs on 4 hits, striking out 9 and walking 1 in 5 innings. DiNardo earned the save pitching 2 hitless innings, striking out 1 and not walking anyone. Fazio went 2 for 3 with 1 RBI and Swartz and Edmonds were both 1 for 3 with 2 RBI each.
In the district championship the Irish got off to another quick start, which Coach Wroubel indicated was key to the win. The Irish plated runs in all but two innings handing Marian a 12-5 loss and winning the school’s 14th softball district title overall. In the top half of the first inning Gleason, in the circle once again, struck out the first two batters before giving up a single. At the plate was the ever dangerous Sydney Jascoe, who had hit 2 homeruns in the game against Cranbrook, and Gleason ended any threat by inducing aninfield pop up to end the inning. That seemed to put a charge in the Irish as they scored 4 times on 4 hits and a walk. McClune once again led off with a single and Swartz sacrificed her to second. After a ground out Gleason drilled a double scoring McClune. Fazio followed with a walk and Molly Dulapa drove Gleason home with a single, her first hit on the day. DiNardo came up and crushed a ball past the outfielders for a double that scored Dulapa giving the Irish a 4-0 lead. After Gleason sent the Mustangs down in order, the Irish took advantage of a couple of Mustang miscues to push 2 runs more runs across. In the third inning Notre Dame increased its lead to 8-0 on hits by Madison, Thornton and McClune. Marian was able to get on the board in the 4th inning as they took advantage of a couple of Irish errors to plate a run. That seemed to fuel the Mustangs and in the 5th, they pushed three more runs across to cut the Notre Dame lead to 8-4. A determined Irish team got those three runs back and added a fourth in the bottom of the fifth as they sent 9 batters to the plate. Hits by Madison, Thornton, Swartz, Gleason (double) and Dulapa gave the Irish a 12-5 lead and put the game away. Gleason went the distance to pick up her 28th win on the season, striking out 6. McClune finished 3 for 5, scored twice and drove in one while Gleason was also 3 for 5 at the plate. Dulapa was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI.
Notre Dame advances to the regional round next Saturday at Detroit Country Day. The Irish will take on Almont in the first game with the winner advancing to play either Country Day or Richmond.