Softball Falls to Notre Dame on Final Day in Madeira Beach

Sunday, February 26

Madeira Beach, Fla.

12:30 PM

Dartmouth College

3-2

Notre Dame

10-4

Notre Dame

Dartmouth

Leila Hennessy softball action against Columbia

Photo by: Doug Austin

Softball Falls to Notre Dame on Final Day in Madeira Beach

2/26/2023 3:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Big Green fell to the Fighting Irish, 7-4

By: Francis Forte

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — The Dartmouth softball team closed out its time at the Spring Games with an afternoon contest against Notre Dame. The Big Green were unable to defeat their ACC foe, falling by a score of 7-4. Dartmouth heads back to Hanover with a 3-2 record after its opening weekend.

Leila Hennessy recorded her first home run of the 2023 season while Mary Beth Cahalan drove home two runs against the Fighting Irish. Maria Angelino was responsible for another Big Green run in the form of a sacrifice fly.

Rachel McCarroll and Stella Bale each spent time in the circle for Dartmouth, while a trio of pitchers, Payton Tidd, Shannon Becker and Micaela Kastor, took the reins for Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish opened the scoring in the top of the first, as sacrifice fly brought in a run to give Notre Dame a 1-0 lead. Hennessy answered the call for the Big Green, crushing a solo homer to center field to tie the contest, 1-1 heading into the second.

Despite a leadoff double and a single to put two runners on base, McCarroll and Dartmouth's defense held Notre Dame at bay in the second. The Big Green were unable to break the tie in the bottom of the frame, going three up, three down.

A pair of home runs in the top of the third, including a two-run shot from Tidd, gave the Irish a 4-1 lead over Dartmouth. Bale took the circle in the top of the fourth, but could not keep Notre Dame off the board, as the Big Green deficit inflated to 6-1 after three and a half innings of play.

The Big Green began to rally, as a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth from Angelino trimmed Notre Dame's lead to four. A two-run double from Cahalan in the fifth brought Dartmouth closer to completing the comeback.

McCarroll reentered the circle in the top of the sixth, sending back Notre Dame's first three hitters. The Big Green were unable to keep the momentum rolling in the bottom of the inning, and the Irish put an insurance run on the board to extend their lead to three.

Dartmouth could not overcome the deficit in the bottom of the seventh, falling to Notre Dame on its final day in Madeira Beach. Notre Dame improved to 10-4 on the year with the win over the Big Green.

Up Next:
Dartmouth will head to Starkville, Mississippi to take part in The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament next weekend. The Big Green will be in action five times next weekend, which includes matchups with Murray State, Abilene Christian and host-team Mississippi State.