Zachary's Walk-Off Homer Lifts Notre Dame Over Cal

Freshman slugger Ava Zachary hits a two-run blast in extra innings to clinch the series win for the Fighting Irish.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 9:07pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting the swing of a Notre Dame softball player hitting a home run, with sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant shades of navy, gold, and green.Freshman slugger Ava Zachary's game-winning home run swing is captured in a cubist, geometric style, reflecting the raw energy and drama of Notre Dame's comeback victory.South Bend Today

Freshman Ava Zachary hit a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Notre Dame softball team to a 9-7 victory over Cal and clinch the series win. Zachary had a career-best four hits and four RBIs in the game, while fellow freshman Hayden Kyne added a three-run homer earlier in the contest.

Why it matters

The win improves Notre Dame's record to 15-19 overall and 5-7 in ACC play, keeping their postseason hopes alive. Zachary and Kyne have emerged as a formidable 1-2 punch in the Irish lineup, providing a spark for an offense that hit .378 as a team over the three-game series.

The details

Zachary's heroics came after Cal had taken a 7-5 lead in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run homer. Notre Dame tied the game in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, setting the stage for Zachary's walk-off blast. Micaela Kastor threw 4.1 strong innings in relief to keep the Irish in the game, while Kami Kamzik earned the win with a perfect eighth inning.

  • The game-winning home run came in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon.
  • The series win over Cal improved Notre Dame's record to 15-19 overall and 5-7 in ACC play.

The players

Ava Zachary

A freshman slugger who had a career-best four hits and four RBIs, including the game-winning two-run home run in extra innings.

Hayden Kyne

A fellow freshman who hit a three-run homer in the first inning and drove in seven runs over the three-game series.

Mickey Winchell

The senior center fielder hit .692 over the weekend with nine hits, seven runs scored, and was the table-setter for the Irish offense.

Kami Kamzik

The junior pitcher earned the win with a perfect eighth inning in relief after Micaela Kastor kept the Irish in the game with 4.1 strong innings.

Micaela Kastor

The senior pitcher threw 4.1 innings in relief, allowing just two runs while striking out four to keep Notre Dame in the game.

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What’s next

Notre Dame returns to Melissa Cook Stadium for its first midweek contest of the season Tuesday night for a clash against Western Michigan. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

The takeaway

The emergence of Zachary and Kyne as a dynamic freshman duo has provided a much-needed boost to the Notre Dame offense, keeping the team's postseason hopes alive as they continue ACC play.