Recordpub.com - KSU softball team falls to Notre Dame in NCAA Regional opener

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Notre Dame's Brittney Bargar tossed her second no-hitter in the last two weeks as the Fighting Irish downed Kent State 9-1 on Friday at Alumni Field in the opening game of the NCAA Regional round.

KSU starter Kylie Reynolds had earned victories in each of her previous 16 starts, but suffered her first loss since March 28.

With a pair of All-Mideast Region pitchers facing off, a low-scoring affair appeared to be in the works until the Fighting Irish (38-20-1) blasted three home runs in the bottom of the third. Notre Dame's four runs in the third and three in the fifth helped end the Golden Flashes' longest winning streak of the season at 12 games.

"Notre Dame did a good job of jumping on the pitches that Kylie missed," Kent State coach Karen Linder said. "They did a great job of taking advantage of the mistakes we made. And we didn't handle that very well."

As the regional's third seed, KSU served as the visiting team and struck in the top of the first without the assistance of a hit. Kim Hamilton drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on an illegal pitch and scored when Jamie Fitzpatrick placed a ground ball on the right side of the infield. Fitzpatrick's RBI tied her with Denae Jones as Kent State's all-time RBI leaders with 118.

Jessica Toocheck's defense kept the Irish from responding in the bottom of the first. With one out and leadoff hitter Katie Fleury on second, Christine Lux poked what appeared to be Notre Dame's second single of the inning to center field. Fleury broke for third and would have scored easily, but Toocheck made a diving grab in the grass and doubled off Fleury at second.

Fleury tied the game in the bottom of the third with her fourth homer of the season, a solo drive to straightaway center. A two-out error led to three more runs in the third. After KSU's Heather Duhon dropped a throw to first on a bunt, Notre Dame's Linda Kohan made the Flashes pay with a full-count, two-run blast to center field. Lux then made it back-to-back homers with a towering shot to right field.

Gabe Burns relieved Reynolds after the third homer of the inning. After preventing further damage in the third, she struck out the side in the fourth.

Fleury tripled to left in the fifth and scored the first of three runs in the inning, two of which came on another error.

Notre Dame added two more runs in the sixth for the run-rule to take effect.

Reynolds (24-5) struck out three and was charged with just one earned run. Burns fanned four in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Toocheck walked twice in two plate appearances and stole a base.

Today, the Golden Flashes (44-11) will take on the loser of Friday night's Michigan/Wright State game. First pitch for KSU's game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The winner will play again at 5 p.m.