Watch: Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman hits home runs in #StrikeoutCancer

Does Freeman have a bit of Mighty Casey in him?

We all knew that [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] was going to join the softball team’s effort to raise money for cancer awareness in their #StrikeoutCaner Home Run Derby.

Freeman had ten swings and did exactly what he believed he could do, hit 4 of them over the fence.

The Irish head coach had plenty of inspiration, as the reigning ACC Player of the Year, [autotag]Karina Gaskins[/autotag], blasted three home runs of her own against Pitt as Notre Dame defeated the visitors 10-2 before Freeman took his cuts.

His reply confirmed that thought. Freeman didn’t look like a former football player swinging the bat, his form needs a bit of work, but the raw power is there.

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Notre Dame’s Karina Gaskins is ACC Player of the Year

Congrats, Karina!

Notre Dame is one of the better teams in the ACC this season, and one player now will the rewards of it now. [autotag]Karina Gaskins[/autotag], the Irish’s sophomore first baseman, has been named the conference’s player of the year. Gaskins has been instrumental in the 39-9 record the Irish are taking into the ACC Tournament. She is the third Notre Dame player to receive the honor, joining an exclusive club also occupied by [autotag]Cait Brooks[/autotag] (2019) and [autotag]Emilee Koerner[/autotag] (2015).

Gaskins leads the ACC in batting average (.433) and RBIs (57). Her 11 doubles and 12 home runs have contributed to her .803 slugging percentage. With a .562 on-base percentage, she also is projected to break the Irish’s single-season on-base percentage record, which was set by [autotag]Abby Sweet[/autotag] in 2021 at .537.

Gaskins also is the only Irish player on the All-ACC First Team. Sweet and four other players are on the Second Team, and freshman pitcher [autotag]Shannon Becker[/autotag] has made the Third Team.

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Four consecutive at-bats, four homers?!? See Notre Dame’s Gaskins going off

Gaskins went homer happy

Although the Notre Dame softball team doesn’t get much love, that needs to change after an absolutely massive performance yesterday. Freshman Karina Gaskins had an afternoon to remember against Georgia Tech in the second game of their doubleheader.

The infielder had four consecutive at-bats with the best possible outcome, homers.

https://twitter.com/ndsoftball/status/1373435437839175682?s=21

They weren’t all solo shots either, Gaskins totaled 10 RBI’s on her four long-balls leading the Irish to a victory in the second game, earning a split of the doubleheader.

In total the Irish hit six homers over the two Saturday games, but Gaskins’ individual performance was the highlight of the day. The softball looks to take the series this afternoon as their rubber match is set for a noon eastern start in Atlanta.