KISSIMMEE, Fla. - No. 23 Notre Dame scored the go-ahead runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-3 win over the Omaha softball team in the final game of the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic on Sunday.
The Mavericks finished the tournament 1-4 and now stand at 12-7 on the season. Notre Dame went 5-0 at the tournament and is 15-3 overall.
The Fighting Irish scored one in the first and two in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Mara Eeman's solo home run in the bottom of the second cut it to 3-1. It was already her third homer of the season after just one each in her freshman and sophomore seasons.
In the bottom of the third, the Mavs rallied to tie the game at 3-3.
Lia Mancuso led off with a bunt single, and
Amber Lutmer singled her to second base.
Sydney Hames roped a one-out double to left center to bring them both home, and Hames took third on a fielding error by the catcher on the throw home. However, Hames was left stranded after a pair of Maverick strikeouts.
Notre Dame snatched the lead in the top of the sixth with four hits and a passed ball aiding two runs to come across the plate.
In the Mavs' final at bat,
Tara Trede led off with a single, but Fighting Irish ace Laura Winter kept her at first with a lineout, pop up and strikeout to end the game.
Dana Elsasser (9-3) allowed four earned runs on 11 hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Winter (9-2) allowed eight hits and three earned runs, but she struck out 15 and walked no one.
The Mavs' eight hits on the day were the most in their last six games. Lutmer was 3-for-3 to lead the Mavs.
UNO visits Fort Collins, Colo., next weekend for the Colorado State Classic.
