Big day for Gonzalez not enough in loss to Notre Dame

The senior went 3-for-4 with her seventh home run of the season on Saturday

March 25, 2017

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (13-16)	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	4	7	3
Notre Dame (16-13)	2	0	2	2	0	3	X	9	13	0
Melissa Cook Stadium Box Score

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Despite a 3-for-4, two RBI day from senior Vanessa Gonzalez, the Virginia Tech softball team couldn’t find an answer for the Notre Dame offense as the Hokies fell to the Irish, 9-4, on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Aysha Richardson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases for Tech (13-16, 3-9 ACC).

After the Irish plated two runs in the first to take an early 2-0 lead, Duff reached on a one-out single to right. A sacrifice bunt from sophomore Caitlyn Nolan moved Duff to second and Schoenewald sent her home on her first career triple to get Tech on the board.

With two out, Gonzalez stepped to the plate and rocketed an 0-2 pitch over the left field wall that gave the Hokies a 3-2 lead. Gonzalez’s seventh round tripper of the season gave Virginia Tech its ACC-best 36th home run of the season.

The Irish (16-13, 4-5 ACC) responded with two runs in the third and two runs in the fourth to retake the lead, 6-3, before tacking on three more in the sixth.

Tech battled back in the top of the seventh where pinch hitter Kinsey Johnson worked a one out walk and Gonzalez picked up her third hit of the game with two outs. With runners on first and second, Richardson slapped an opposite field single to left that scored Johnson from second. It wouldn’t be enough though as the Irish recorded the final out

The Hokies return to action on March 29 at 5 p.m. with a doubleheader at No. 10 James Madison.

For updates on Virginia Tech softball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Softball