Can the Irish challenge the home run record?
Though the Notre Dame softball team is not hitting with a high average yet this season (.240 entering this weekend’s competition), the Irish have launched 11 home runs in 2002. With 38 games remaining this season, the Irish could challenge the school record for team home runs (36 hit in 2000). Six different players have hit home runs for the team this season, including first career round trippers from Megan Ciolli, Annie Dell’Aria and Nicole deFau. Getting better each start: Freshman righthander Steffany Stenglein is 7-8 this season with a 2.52 ERA, but the rookie hurler is getting better and better with each start. Over the course of Notre Dame’s eight games during spring break, Stenglein was 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA and struck out 39 batters in 38.2 innings pitched. The Irish opponents hit just .183 against Stenglein during that stretch. 2002 schedule could develop into the strongest in school history: The Irish enter this weekend’s action with an 8-12 record, but eight of those losses ha
