NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame (17-12, 9-10 ACC) returns home this week to kick off an 11-game home slate, beginning Wednesday, April 7, when they take on Western Michigan at 5:30 p.m. ET. Then, the Irish will host the first meetings in program history with #18 Clemson, a four-game series which extends April 9-11.
Notre Dame owns a nine-game home win streak, which began with an April 13, 2019 win over NC State and extends to the Irish’s five home wins this season (Notre Dame did not play any home games in 2020, as the season was cut short prior to the first scheduled home matchup). Overall, the Irish boast 453 wins at home in program history, and their record at Melissa Cook Stadium since it opened in 2008 is 176-41-1.
The Irish continue to be productive at the plate, as senior Abby Sweet maintains her lead in the ACC in batting average (.495). Junior Emma Clark ranks fourth in the conference with a .413 average.
The series with Clemson will mark the first meeting between the two teams, as Clemson’s program is in its second season.
THE DETAILS
Location: Melissa Cook Stadium (Notre Dame, IN) – Attendance is limited for sports competing this spring to guests of competing Notre Dame student-athletes and coaches as well as current Notre Dame, Holy Cross and St. Mary’s College students.
Games:
- Wednesday, April 7: 5:30 p.m. ET vs. Western Michigan
- Friday, April 9: 5 p.m. ET vs. No. 18 Clemson
- Saturday, April 10: 1 p.m. ET vs. No. 18 Clemson
- Saturday, April 11: 3 p.m. ET vs. No. 18 Clemson
- Sunday, April 12: Noon ET vs. No. 18 Clemson
Live Stats: und.com/mediastats
BY THE NUMBERS
1: OF Abby Sweet is one of the nation’s best at the plate, ranking among the top not only in the ACC, but across Division I softball. Sweet’s .495 avg. leads the ACC and ranks 12th in the nation, while her 45 total hits are first in the ACC and tied for 11th in the nation. She also leads the conference in doubles (12, tied for fourth nationally), on-base percentage (0.553, 30th nationally), runs (tied for conference lead – 28) and total bases (78, 16th nationally).
2: Notre Dame pitchers have totaled two combined no-hitters so far this season. In both the games against Alabama State (Feb. 14) and Valparaiso (March 24), Ps Alexis Holloway, Morgan Ryan and Payton Tidd all pitched to keep both teams hitless and scoreless.
2: The Irish boast two of the ACC’s Top 4 individual batters. OF Abby Sweet (.495) ranks first, and OF Emma Clark ranks fourth (.413). Sweet leads the ACC in hits (45), while Clark is tied for second with 38 hits.
3: OF Abby Sweet and OF Leea Hanks have each hit three triples this season, which ties for third-most in the conference.
3: Notre Dame came in at No. 3 in the preseason ACC Coaches poll, with IF Katie Marino on the preseason All-ACC team. Of the top six teams in the ACC, Notre Dame is one, and will face the other five in the regular season.
3: Deanna Gumpf announced the selection of three captains for the 2021 season: Seniors IF Sarah Genz, P Alexis Holloway and OF Abby Sweet. Holloway and Sweet are the eighth and ninth two-time team captains in program history. .
4: OF Abby Sweet was hit by four pitches in the second game of the March 27 doubleheader vs. NC State, totaling six HBP on the day (two from the first game). The four HBP are the most in a single game taken by any Division I player this season. In that game, Sweet never posted an at-bat, as she was hit on all four plate appearances, as the game ended her 16-game hit streak.
5: Notre Dame ranks in the ACC’s Top 5 in team batting average and team pitching. The Irish are third in the conference with a collective .300 batting avg., while they rank fifth in the conference with a 2.65 ERA.
6: As the schedule stands for 2021, Notre Dame has faced or will face six teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the initial USA TODAY/NFCA poll: Alabama, Liberty, Duke, Clemson, Florida State and Virginia Tech (initial poll). Notre Dame was the first team to hand Duke a loss in 2021 (Feb. 20), and was the only loss on the Blue Devils’ record until March 27.
9: The Irish have won nine-straight games at home, beginning with a four-game win streak to end the 2019 home slate, as the Irish did not play a home game in 2020. The streak began with an April 13, 2019 win over NC State and extends to the present.
16: The Irish return 16 veterans in 2021, including every starter from the 2019-20 season. They are joined by six freshmen.
43: Prior to its end this past weekend, OF Abby Sweet compiled a 43-game on-base streak, which began on Feb. 9, 2020 and extended through March 31, 2021 (ended on April 2 at #10 Florida State).