Sunday, February 8
Clearwater, Fla.
9:30 AM ET
Liberty University
0-5
1
vs
5
Notre Dame
3-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Liberty
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
4
2
Notre Dame
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2
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1
1
1
X
5
7
0
Notre Dame Tops No. 21 Liberty 5-1
2/8/2026 12:29:00 PM | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Notre Dame topped Liberty 5-1 on Sunday at Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex.
Liberty opened the season with an 0-5 record at the 2026 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, while Notre Dame improves to 3-2.
Savannah Jessee was named to the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team.
Notre Dame 5, Liberty 1
Scoring Summary
Notre Dame – 2nd INNING – Poeck reaches on error, Kyne advances, Eckart scores, 1-0
Notre Dame – 2nd INNING – Cortes singles to right, Poeck advances, Kyne scores, 2-0
Notre Dame – 4th INNING – O'Brien singles to center, Cortes scores, 3-0
Notre Dame – 5th INNING – Poeck doubles to left center, Conner scores, 4-0
Liberty – 6th INNING – Whatley doubles to right center, Fox scores, 4-1
Notre Dame – 6th INNING – Eckart singles to right center, Winchell scores, 5-1
Turning Point
Liberty heads to Tallahassee, Fla., where the Lady Flames will take on No. 6 Florida State on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Liberty opened the season with an 0-5 record at the 2026 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, while Notre Dame improves to 3-2.
Savannah Jessee was named to the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team.
Notre Dame 5, Liberty 1
Scoring Summary
Notre Dame – 2nd INNING – Poeck reaches on error, Kyne advances, Eckart scores, 1-0
Notre Dame – 2nd INNING – Cortes singles to right, Poeck advances, Kyne scores, 2-0
Notre Dame – 4th INNING – O'Brien singles to center, Cortes scores, 3-0
Notre Dame – 5th INNING – Poeck doubles to left center, Conner scores, 4-0
Liberty – 6th INNING – Whatley doubles to right center, Fox scores, 4-1
Notre Dame – 6th INNING – Eckart singles to right center, Winchell scores, 5-1
Turning Point
- Notre Dame scored twice in the second inning, taking advantage of a Liberty error. The Fighting Irish doubled the lead to 4-0 by the end of the fifth inning.
- The Lady Flames got on the board in the top of the sixth on Savanah Whatley's RBI double, which scored Ella Fox. However, Liberty got no closer.
- Notre Dame outhit Liberty 7-4, with the Lady Flames recording two errors. The Fighting Irish left 10 runners on base, compared to three stranded for Liberty.
- Kami Kamzik (1-1) earned the win, allowing one run on four hits, striking out six batters in the complete-game win.
- Gabby Mike (0-2) of Liberty allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walking three in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Caitlyn Nesbitt yielded two runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.
- Kaia Cortes went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored for Notre Dame, while Sydny Poeck recorded a double and one RBI.
- Ella Fox went 2-for-2 with a double and one run scored, while Savanah Whatley registered a double and one RBI.
- Notre Dame is 7-2 all-time against Liberty in softball, with each of the last two meetings, both Fighting Irish wins, coming at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic (also 2024).
- Liberty is making its third appearance at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, also playing in this event in 2020 and 2024.
- The Lady Flames were ranked No. 21 in the preseason NFCA Top 25 Poll. Three of Liberty's opponents this weekend (No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Oregon, No. 9 Clemson) appear in the top 10.
Liberty heads to Tallahassee, Fla., where the Lady Flames will take on No. 6 Florida State on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: K. Kamzik (1-1)
L: Mike, Gabby (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Whatley, Savanah 1 ; Fox, Ella 1
RBI: Whatley, Savanah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fox, Ella 1
Batting:
2B: S. Poeck 1
RBI: C. O'Brien 1 ; R. Eckart 1 ; S. Poeck 1 ; K. Cortes 1
SH: O. Levitt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Winchell 1 ; R. Eckart 1 ; H. Kyne 1 ; M. Conner 1 ; K. Cortes 1
SB: M. Winchell 1 ; T. Sweet 1 ; K. Cortes 1
HBP: H. Kyne 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
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