DURHAM, N.C. (theACC.com) - No. 10 seed Notre Dame defeated No. 7 seed North Carolina, 7-4, on Wednesday in the first round of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championship at the Duke Softball Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The Fighting Irish move on to face No. 2 seed Florida State on Thursday, May 9, at 5 p.m. in the third quarterfinals game.
Notre Dame tallied 12 hits with one error to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2021. Micaela Kastor (10-9) took home the win in the circle after striking out four batters and allowing no runs on three hits. Both Anna Holloway and Addison Amaral went 3-for-4 at the plate today to lead the Fighting Irish.
The Tar Heels struck first in the second inning, scoring three runs. Destiny Middleton reached on a fielder's choice before advancing to second, when Carlie Myrtle was the first of three batters walked. The first baseman was followed by Isabela Emerling and Lexi Godwin, who picked up an RBI as Middleton scored first off the bases-loaded walk for UNC. As Skyler Brooks reached on an error, both Myrtle and Emerling scored to take a 3-0 lead.
Notre Dame answered in the fourth with two straight bombs over the left field wall from Jane Kronenberger and Anna Holloway to cut the Tar Heels' lead to one at 3-2.
North Carolina pushed its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Brooks to score Alex Jordan, who pinch ran for Myrtle after her double to right center.
The sixth inning was all the Fighting Irish needed as four singles from Rachel Allen, Holloway, Mac Vazquez and Carlli Kloss, and a double from Amaral gave Notre Dame the lead for the first and final time. Abby Sweet, who pinch ran for Allen, scored off of Vazquez's shot to left field before Holloway tied the game up, 4-4, on Kloss' single. Mickey Winchell reached on a throwing error as two more batters crossed the plate. Amaral scored the final run of the inning with a double to right center to cap off Notre Dame's five-run inning.
The quarterfinals will start at 11 a.m. with No. 1 Duke taking on No. 9 Boston College, followed by No. 4 Virginia against No. 5 Clemson at 1:30 p.m. No. 2 Florida State will face No. 10 Notre Dame at 5 p.m. Thursday's slate of games will end with the nightcap between No. 3 Virginia Tech and No. 6 Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m.
2024 ACC Softball Championship Schedule
Wednesday, May 8
Game 1: #9 Boston College 1, #8 Syracuse 0 | Box Score
Game 2: #10 Notre Dame 7, #7 North Carolina 4 | Box Score
Thursday, May 9
Game 3: #1 Duke vs. #9 Boston College | 11 a.m. | ACCN | Live Results
Game 4: #4 Virginia vs. #5 Clemson | 1:30 p.m. | ACCN | Live Results
Game 5: #2 Florida State vs. #10 Notre Dame | 5 p.m. | ACCN | Live Results
Game 6: #3 Virginia Tech vs. #6 Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ACCN | Live Results
Friday, May 10
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 | 1 p.m. | ACCN
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 | 3:30 p.m. | ACCN
Saturday, May 11
Game 9: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2