Entering Wednesday evening's game at Melissa Cook Stadium in South Bend, it would have been easy for the Valpo softball team to be daunted by the mystique and the program's series history against Notre Dame — after all, Valpo had not beaten the Fighting Irish since 1989 and were facing a 37-game losing streak in the series.
 
But this is a Valpo team which returned the vast majority of players who played Notre Dame to a one-run decision just last season. And it is a Valpo team which was coming off a victory over Illinois State last time out on Friday evening, snapping a losing streak of 20 games in that series.
 
So when the ball was pitched Wednesday, the Beacons were not intimidated in the slightest. Valpo's first four batters of the game reached to give the Beacons a quick lead, and when the Irish countered in their first turn at the plate, Valpo responded to take the lead in the third inning. From there, it was a team effort in the circle and strong fielding throughout, ending with Sophia Leitzen (Orfordville, Wis./Brodhead) throwing out the potential tying run at the plate as the Beacons made the trip back west on the Indiana Toll Road owners of a 3-2 victory.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo wasted no time jumping on Notre Dame, and Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) set the tone with a first-pitch single to lead off the game. Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) followed with a base knock of her own and Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out.
• The Beacons' leading RBI producer came to the plate in Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]), and the senior delivered, knocking a single the other way into right field to plate Vrastil. Valpo was unable to add any further runs, though, as the Irish turned a double play and got a flyout to end the inning with two runners left in scoring position.
• Notre Dame answered in the bottom of the first, putting a runner on base with a one-out single before Hayden Kyne connected on a two-out homer to put the Irish in front, 2-1.
• Notre Dame threatened to add to its lead in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with one out. The Beacons were able to get the second out on the basepaths, cutting down the lead Irish runner trying to advance on a potential wild pitch, and after a walk, Caitlyn Quickle (Leesburg, Ohio/Fairfield Local) entered in relief in the circle and got a soft liner to second with her first pitch to keep it a one-run game.
• Vrastil turned on an 0-2 pitch for a single to lead off the top of the third, and Krug notched her second hit of the game as well, driving a double down the right-field line to put two in scoring position for Rodas. The senior hit a sharp grounder to short which was scoring Vrastil no matter what, but when the shortstop's throw sailed on her, Krug raced home to give the Beacons a 3-2 lead.
• Notre Dame got a runner to second with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, but Quickle was able to get a grounder to second to keep the one-run lead.
• After Quickle registered the first out of the bottom of the fifth, head coach Mike Armitage turned to the bullpen and called upon Kayla Purdy (Matthews, N.C./Porter Ridge). The redshirt freshman retired both batters she faced, the first thanks to a web gem by Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) at third base — Garnica dove to her right to snag a shot down the line, and from her knees threw the ball across the diamond to record the out.
• Valpo put two runners on with two outs in both the sixth and the seventh innings, but was unable to add to its lead. But additional runs eventually proved unnecessary with Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) taking the rubber.
• Notre Dame got back-to-back one-out singles in the sixth to put two on base before Lopez induced consecutive grounders to second to maintain the lead.
• A pair of infield singles in the seventh put the potential tying run on second base with two outs for the Irish. Kyne stepped to the plate and connected on what looked to be her second clutch hit of the game, knocking a single through the right side. But Leitzen charged and came up throwing a strike to the plate, easily beating the Notre Dame runner trying to score as Vrastil successfully applied the tag to set off the Beacons' celebration.

 
Inside the Game

• Valpo earned its first win over Notre Dame since May 4, 1989 — to put that into perspective, Taylor Swift and Valparaiso University Director of Enrollment Events and Operations Mike Targonski were not yet born when Valpo last took down the Irish.
• The win snapped a 37-game Notre Dame winning streak in the series.
• Wednesday was the program's first win over a current Power Four program since a 4-0 win at North Carolina State March 5, 2019.
• The top of the Beacons' order was the catalyst for the offense Wednesday, as their top four hitters all reached base multiple times. Vrastil recorded her 17^th multi-hit game of the year, Gallagher her ninth and Krug her seventh.
• Vrastil also scored two runs, the seventh time this year she has touched home multiple times in the same game.
• Rodas reached base twice via the walk in between Krug and Gallagher in the order, while further down the lineup, Lopez reached twice as well thanks to a hit and a walk.
• Valpo used all four of its healthy, active pitchers in limiting the Irish to just the two runs. Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) started and went the first 1.2 innings before Quickle took the ball. The sophomore shut out Notre Dame for 2.2 innings while giving up just one hit, earning the win to improve to 2-2 on the season.
• Purdy retired both batters she faced before turning things over to Lopez for the final two innings. The senior earned her fourth save of the year, tying her mark from last year which is tied for sixth in a single season in program history. Her eight career saves are good for solo third in program history as well.

 
Next Up
Valpo (16-20) looks to keep the momentum rolling into this weekend's series against MVC-leading Belmont. The series will now feature a single game Friday at 2 p.m. before a Saturday doubleheader at noon.