NOTRE DAME, Ind. (April 22, 2007) ? Head coach Ken Eriksen recorded his 500th-career victory on Sunday afternoon as the University of South Florida softball team swept Notre Dame, 3-1, 3-1, at Ivy Field.
“It means more to me today that we won two games on the road,” Eriksen said. “We have the conference tournament coming up and to sweep Notre Dame at Notre Dame is big and it puts us in a pretty good spot in the conference right now. I feel a lot better after this weekend. The kids battled for four straight games and it's good to see their hard work pay off with two victories for them. So that's really what that means?we're going in the right direction.”
In his 11th season at the helm, Eriksen's all-time record now stands at 500-260-1 and he has the most wins at USF of any active coach.
In game one, the USF pitching staff held Notre Dame to only one run and worked its way out of some tough situations. Cristi Ecks (9-6) got the start and the win, allowing one run on four hits in four innings. Bree Spence started the fifth and scattered three hits in two and one-thirds innings. After Spence gave up two walks in the seventh inning, Kristen Gordon came out of the bullpen and forced two fly outs for her fourth save of the season.
In the third inning, the Bulls (35-21, 7-5 BIG EAST) broke the scoreless tie and took a 2-0 lead. USF led off the inning with three-straight base hits. With an out on the board, Cat Olnick doubled off the left-field fence scoring two runs.
Notre Dame (24-18, 9-5 BIG EAST) cut the Bulls lead down to one run in the bottom of the third. After a single and a stolen base put Gessica Hufnagle on second, Katie Laing drove her in with a single to right field.
In the seventh inning Kit Dunbar added an insurance run to the board for USF with a two-out RBI double. The double was the second of the season for the junior.
USF tallied nine hits off Notre Dame pitcher Brittney Barger, who struck out nine in seven innings.
Olnick was named the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Player of the Game by CSTV for batting 1.000 in a 3-for-3 effort with two doubles and two RBI.
In game two, the Fighting Irish took an early 1-0 lead. With runners at the corners and two outs, an infield single by Sarah Smith scored the go-ahead run.
In the top of the fifth inning the Bulls tied the game and took a 3-1 lead, scoring all of its runs with two outs. Mosch and Ashley Bullion singled with an out on the board. After a USF strikeout, Britta Giddens drove in the equalizer with a single up the middle. With runners at the corners, Tara Toscano hit the ball to the shortstop and beat the throw to first base for the RBI single. After a single by Dunbar loaded the bases, Danielle Urbanik drove in Giddens with a single to left field. USF looked to score another on the same play, but Toscano was thrown out at the plate on a close call.
Mosch (9-4) got the start in the circle for USF and posted the victory, allowing one run on five hits with two Ks in four and one-third innings. Gordon picked up her second save of the day and the fifth of the season, tossing a hitless, scoreless two and two-thirds innings of relief. Gordon now sits in a tie for second place for saves in a season.
The Bulls return home on Friday when they welcome Providence in a doubleheader at 2 p.m.
