Irish split series with Panthers

By J.J. POST

Associate sports e ditor

n otre d ame softball split a doubleheader s unday afternoon, concluding a three-game series against Pittsburgh. The Irish fell in the overall series two games to one but ended on a high note. n otre d ame cruised to a dominant 10-2 win in game three of the weekend.

After a Friday matchup where the bats largely sputtered and a s unday morning contest where the Irish scored plenty but allowed 13 runs, n otre d ame put it all together in the final afternoon. s ophomore pitcher s hannon b ecker put together a complete game in the circle, striking out five batters along the way.

Karina Gaskins stole the show on the offensive end. The junior infielder came to the plate just three times in five innings. b ut in those three at-bats, she hit three home runs. Those three blasts tied her own program record for most in a single game. The seven runs she drove in also made the record books as the secondmost in a game in program history. Graduate infielder Lexi o rozco pitched in at the plate as well, clubbing a pair of solo home runs.

After the game, head coach d eanna Gumpf remarked on Gaskins’ patience at the plate and the rewards it reaped.

“Karina just dug in today,” Gumpf said. “ s he dug in and she swung at good pitches. And when she does that, she’s so tough.”

Gaskins’ three blasts

ND RugbY