notre dame completes sweep over no. 15 virginia tech

Caleb Wetzel

April 25, 2021

BLACKSBURG — Notre Dame’s (27-12, 18-10 ACC) ace pitcher, Payton Tidd, got the best of Virginia Tech’s (28-12, 19-12 ACC) offense all afternoon long in Sunday’s final meeting between the teams.

Tidd (13-5) was masterful in the final game of the series, allowing only one run off five hits, while striking out four on her way to the complete game win.

The Hokies had many opportunities to score in the first few innings that they were unable to cash in on. They were able to get the leadoff hitter on and in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but were unable to plate any runs.

Mackenzie Osborne (2-1) was in the circle for the Hokies, and she pitched just as well as Tidd for most of the afternoon. She retired the first six Fighting Irish batters with ease, forcing soft ground balls that her defense easily made a play on.

The Irish were able to strike first, plating the first run of the game in the third.

Shortstop Chelsea Purcell singled on a hard hit ball to second, and later scored on an RBI infield hit from left fielder Leea Hanks. Purcell had a great day at the plate and was one of the few hitters giving Osborne problems, going 2-for-3 on the day.

Both pitchers settled in after the third with neither allowing a runner to get past first in the fourth.

The Fighting Irish threatened again in the fifth as third baseman Cassidy Grimm singled with one out, and leadoff hitter Abby Sweet followed with a double to the fence that put runners at second and third.

But Osborne was able to induce two straight shallow fly balls to get out of the jam unscathed.

Left fielder Kelsey Brown had three of the five Virginia Tech hits, and was instrumental in scoring the only run in the fifth.

With two outs, Brown struck a pitch right back up the middle for a base hit. She then stole second and scored a pitch later on an infield hit from Cameron Fagan.

Brown stole two bases on the day and was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.

The tie was broken almost immediately when the first Notre Dame hitter in the sixth, Karina Gaskins, hit a no-doubt home run over the center field fence.

Three batters later, pinch hitter Quinn Biggio hit the first pitch she saw over the fence in left center to extend the lead to two.

The Virginia Tech bats were unable to answer after the two home runs, going down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings leading to the 3-1 Notre Dame win.

The four game sweep at Tech Softball Park extends the Fighting Irish’s win streak to nine games and gives the Hokies their first series loss of the season. Notre Dame has now beat Virginia Tech in 18 of its last 19 matchups and lead the all-time series 29-7.

The Hokies look to get back to their winning ways in their next game against Liberty on Wednesday in Lynchburg.

The Fighting Irish take on Depaul at home on Wednesday, looking to extend their win streak to ten games.