LEXINGTON, Ky. – Notre Dame used a strong pitching performance from Alexis Holloway and some key insurance runs late to upset Michigan 4-1 in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament Lexington Softball Regional.
Holloway allowed just one run and three hits in a complete-game performance for the win. Staked to a 1-0 lead for most of the game, she got all the help she needed when the Fighting Irish offense added three runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
The Fighting Irish got on the board in the top of the first inning. With the bases loaded and one out, junior third baseman Melissa Rochford hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring junior left fielder Ali Wester from third for a 1-0 lead.
The score would remain that for a while thanks to a rain delay that lasted two hours and eight minutes. The delay took place in the middle of the fifth inning when rain and lightning moved into the area.
When the game resumed, the Fighting Irish plated three runs in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to 4-0. Senior shortstop Morgan Reed launched a two-out, two-run double to left field. Junior designated player Cait Brooks followed that with a single down the right-field line to bring Reed home.
The insurance runs proved to be important as Michigan wouldn’t go down without a fight. In the bottom of the seventh, junior center fielder Natalie Peters singled down the right-field line, scoring junior catcher Katie Alexander to cut the deficit to 4-1. With two outs, Michigan had the tying run at the plate but the game ended on a bang-bang force out at second base.
Holloway improved to 21-13 after her 21st complete game of the season.
Notre Dame will play the winner of Kentucky vs. Illinois-Chicago on Saturday at noon. Michigan will play the loser of UK-UIC at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET in the double-elimination regional.
NCAA Lexington Regional
May 18, 2018
Lexington, Ky.
Notre Dame 4, #17 Michigan 1
Notre Dame Head Coach Deanna Gumpf
Opening Statement …
“I think that what we saw today was a team that prepared really well to be here, that really just kept the game in perspective, took control from the very beginning and really kept the momentum our way.”
On if she knew there was something they could attack in Michigan’s offense, limiting the Wolverine’s to one run …
“Honestly, what we’ve realized with Alexis (Holloway) is that we have to stick with her strengths. There’s always a couple of hitters that we’re going to attack a little bit differently than others, but if you know Alexis’s game, then you’ll realize it really doesn’t matter who the opponent is. We’re going to go with her strengths.”
On if they’re going to stay and watch Kentucky vs. UIC …
“It depends if they have it blacked out on ESPN3 – do you know? That’s the question. If it’s on ESPN3, then they’re going to watch it at the hotel. If it’s not on, we’ll stay. Why not, right?”
On the recent Supreme Court sports gambling decision …
“I don’t really think it affects our team at all, so I would honestly say I don’t really have much of a comment for it only because it – I don’t think it affects us at all. I think we know exactly who we are and what we need to do. It’s just not – it doesn’t impact us.”
Notre Dame Student-Athletes
#20, Morgan Reed, Sr., INF
On how important it was to get the initial run and jump out to an early lead …
“I think that first run is crucial, that really gets the ball moving. The momentum was going our direction, and taking control early is exactly what we strive to do every game. When you take it early, then you already put them (opposing teams) back on their heels.”
#24, Alexis Holloway, Fr., P
On how they’re able to relax and play their game in the postseason …
“We have a lot of fun. We always have a couple things that we do before the game or during the game that kind of just keep us loose and relaxed. Like Morgan (Reed) was saying, getting that first run on the board – I think – let us all take a deep breath, but yeah we’re just a pretty fun team all around, so I say we stay pretty relaxed.”
On what their most fun routine is …
“We play backyard baseball, lineup challenges – just joking around and staying loose because, like you said, it’s huge.”
On performing well throughout the game despite the two-hour rain delay …
“It’s whatever, I guess. We just kept rolling. We were in a good spot going into the break. I thought we were in a really good spot coming out of the break. We stayed loose in the locker room and were having a good time, and then Coach told us that we were ready to go and we got up and got our minds focused again and kept rolling.”
Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins
Opening Statement …
“Well, congrats to Notre Dame. It was a great game, a long game, and really, they did what it took. They did what it took and they had some timely hits. I thought it was a tight game, and I thought our kids played tight. I just told them, ‘You’re making the game a little bigger than it is,’ but they have a chance and they have to just control the one thing they do control which is our mindset. We’re in the NCAA Tournament, and we’re wearing the block ‘M.’ We just need to all have one mindset going into tomorrow and believe in ourselves. We just need to believe in all the things that we’ve worked at all year. It’s our aim is to be in this tournament all weekend.”
On what needs to improve tomorrow …
“I just want our kids to believe in themselves. I think they’ve spent a lot of time worrying about all of the worst things that can happen, and I think that makes bad things happen. The worst thing that can happen is not in the game of Softball. Softball is just life, and you get out of it what you put into it. We just need to focus on how much we love to play the game, let our passion take us because we were a little paralyzed by our fear, and they need to love the fact that they get to get up tomorrow and put on the Michigan jersey.”
On the difference between regular season and post season softball …
“I just think we talked about their mindset. In the postseason, in the preseason and in the middle of the season, the game just knows ball, hit, catch, throw, pitch. We just need to go back to that. That’s all the game knows, and that’s all we need to play.”
Michigan Student-Athletes
#7 Madison Uden, 3B
On the encouragement of teammates …
“Our captains play a huge role in that. Tera Blanco does a great job at it and so does Faith Canfield. They’re really just calm all the time, they offer good attitudes to the team, and it’s always helpful when they’re around.”
On preparing for rain delays …
“There’s really no way of preparing for it, you just have to be ready to go. It’s the same game no matter what the weather is. You just have to go out there and play your own game. We should be used to it by now because we’ve had rain delays all year. There’s no way to prepare for it, you just have to keep your energy up.”
On what has to be done to extend Michigan’s tournament run …
“We have to keep the energy up and figure out ways to put runs across the board.”
#11, Natalie Peters, CF
On staying loose during rain delay…
“During the rain delay we were just trying to stay calm. We just hung out and tried to take our minds off of the game for a second, but at the same time we had to make sure that we were ready to play when the time came. We were trying not to get too down, sleepy or tired. We danced around a little bit and tried to keep our energy up. We drank a lot of water and ate. We were just trying to stay up because it’s hard, but we stayed up.”
On what has to be done to extend Michigan’s tournament run…
“We have to control our mindset and control what we can control. We have to focus on ourselves and our team.”
On Notre Dame’s pitcher Alexis Holloway …
“We prepared for it, she’s just good with her change up and fastball. We were preparing for it, we just didn’t put it into the game, so that’s on us.”
