May 10, 2002

Box Score

SALEM, VA.----- The Villanova softball team's season came to an end on Friday night as Notre Dame erased a three-run deficit by scoring five runs in the last two innings en route to a 6-4 Irish victory. Villanova finishes the season 45-15 on the year.

With two outs in the top of the fourth, Notre Dame's catcher, Jarah Meyers (Carbondale, Kan.) hit a line drive that deflected off the Villanova shortstop allowing her to reach first base safely. On the ensuing at bat Andria Bledsoe (Higley, Ariz.) laced a double into the right field gap as Meyers, the 2002 Big East Conference Player of the Year, scored all the way from first to give the Fighting Irish a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats promptly responded in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Robin Flier (Lafayette, Calif.) lined her third triple of the season down the right field line to start the rally. Sophomore Lisa Krueger (Mission Viejo, Calif.) followed with a single to straight away center field to plate Flier, knotting the score at 1-1.

Notre Dame head coach, Deanna Gumpf, changed pitchers after the Wildcats knotted the score at 1-1 as Carrie Wisen (Fullerton, Calif.) relieved Steffany Stenglein (Irvine, Calif.). Wisen forced the next two batters to ground out, but with Allison Wisniewski (Smithtown, N.Y.) on first base, freshman Krissy Yauch (Tucson, Ariz.) kept the inning alive with a slap-hit single to left field. Wisen then walked Heather Garboden (Beaverton, Ore.).

Freshman Sarah Wall (Hollywood, Fla.) stepped the plate with the bases loaded and two outs and delivered a single to right field that bounced out the right fielder's glove as she hit the ground on her diving effort. Wall's single cleared the bases as Wisniewski, Yauch and Garboden all scored on the play.

In the top half of the sixth inning, freshman Megan Ciolli (Terre Haute, Ind.) led off with a single up the middle. Andrea Loman (Riverside, Calif.) followed with a triple down the right field line that scored Ciolli. Loman scored on a RBI-single by Bledsoe to bring Notre Dame within one. With runners on the corners, Hornick regrouped to strike out Liz Hartmann (Novato, Calif.) and force Wisen to ground out to end the inning.

After holding Villanova scoreless in the bottom of the sixth Notre Dame came to bat trailing, 4-3. With one out Jenny Kriech (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Ciolli hit back-to-back singles to start the Irish rally. Loman then singled to right field allowing Kriech to score from second tying the score. The go-ahead run for Notre Dame crossed the plate on a passed ball as the Irish took a 5-4 lead.

Freshman pitcher Shannon Williams (Allentown, Pa.) relieved Hornick with the Wildcats trailing by one run. Williams forced Meyers to fly out to left field for the second out of the inning, but Bledsoe came through with her third hit and third RBI of the game on a double to center field extending the lead to 6-4.

Wisen retired the Wildcat in order in the bottom of the seventh inning as Notre Dame secured the 6-4 victory and earn a spot in the Big East Championship game against Virginia Tech on Saturday, May 11, at 1:00 p.m.

Villanova ends the 2002 season with a 45-15 and finished the regular season 14-6 in conference play for a second place finish. The Wildcats set a single-season record in wins (45) and qualified for their third consecutive Big East Championships.

For more information on Villanova softball please contact Media Relations Assistant, Kevin Fischer, at 610.519.6460 or via email at kevin.fischer@villanova.edu.