Box Score March 1, 2008
Final Stats
FULLERTON, Calif. - Notre Dame broke a 5-5 tie with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning as it defeated UC Davis, 6-5, Saturday night at the Worth Invitational in Fullerton. The dramatic inning started with the Aggies scoring four runs, including home runs by Deanna Menapace and Sarah O'Neill, to erase a 5-1 deficit. The loss drops UC Davis to 10-10 overall while Notre Dame improved to 6-5.
UC Davis started the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Michelle Espiritu led off the game with a bunt single and later came around to score on a double by Julie Stauder. An infield single by Notre Dame's Ashley Ellis in the bottom of the second tied the game at 1-1.
In the fourth inning, Ellis belted a three-run homer to put the Fighting Irish up 4-1. Linda Kohan added an RBI-single in the fifth inning, and Notre Dame took a 5-1 lead heading to the sixth inning.
That's when the UC Davis rally began. Trish Paine led off with a triple and promptly scored on a sacrifice fly by Stauder to make it 5-2. Menapace followed with a home run to left field to draw UC Davis within 5-3. Erin Emde singled and was replaced by Jenny Corbett. The next batter, Ashley Johnson, doubled, but Corbett was thrown out at third for the second out of the inning. O'Neill stepped to the plate and launched a two-run shot to left field to tie the game at 5-5.
The Fighting Irish scored what turned out to be the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on a fielder's choice-RBI by Katie Laing.
Jessica Hancock (6-4) suffered the loss for UC Davis. She allowed six runs on 13 hits with two strikeouts and just one walk.
The home runs were the second of the season for both Menapace and O'Neill.
"It was an amazing game," said UC Davis head coach Karen Yoder. "I'm extremely proud of how our hitters made adjustments. We really stepped up late in the game and put pressure on Notre Dame."
The Fighting Irish were the third Big East team the Aggies have faced in their first four games at the Worth Invitational.
"We fought hard and made a definite statement," added Yoder. "Notre Dame is a great team, and we had an opportunity to be in the game."
UC Davis closes out the tournament Sunday against Texas Tech.
