Irish Softball Drops Two at SpaceU Classic

Notre Dame falls to Charleston Southern and Ohio in Friday doubleheader

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The University of Notre Dame softball team lost both of their games on Friday at the SpaceU Classic in Orlando, Florida. The Irish fell 4-5 to Charleston Southern and 4-5 to Ohio, bringing their overall record to 7-6 on the season. Notre Dame had leads in both games but were unable to hold on, as Charleston Southern scored four runs in the fifth inning and Ohio tied the game in the sixth before winning in extra innings.

Why it matters

The losses are a setback for the Notre Dame softball team, who were looking to build momentum heading into the rest of their season. The team will need to regroup and find a way to close out close games if they want to contend for a postseason berth.

The details

In the first game against Charleston Southern, Notre Dame took a 3-1 lead through four innings, but the Buccaneers scored four runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 advantage. The Irish threatened in the sixth and seventh innings but were unable to complete the comeback. In the second game against Ohio, Notre Dame jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Bobcats tied the game in the sixth inning and won in extra frames.

  • The games were played on Friday, February 20, 2026 at the SpaceU Classic in Orlando, Florida.
  • Notre Dame's next games are on Saturday, February 21, 2026 against Penn State at 2:00 p.m. ET and UCF at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The players

Micalea Kastor

The starting pitcher for Notre Dame in the first game against Charleston Southern.

Tenley Sweet

Recorded the first RBI of her career for Notre Dame in the second inning of the Charleston Southern game.

Rebecca Eckart

Hit an RBI triple for Notre Dame in the third inning of the Charleston Southern game.

Kami Kamzik

The starting pitcher for Notre Dame in the second game against Ohio, entering the game with a 1.35 ERA.

Mickey Winchell

Scored a run for Notre Dame in the third inning of the Ohio game after reaching on an error.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The Irish will look to bounce back on Saturday, February 21, 2026 when they take on Penn State at 2:00 p.m. ET and UCF at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

The two losses on Friday are a setback for the Notre Dame softball team, who will need to find a way to close out close games if they want to contend for a postseason berth this season.