Cardinals Advance To Semifinals Of Metrodome Softball Classic
July 21, 2000 | Softball
February 12, 2000
MINNEAPOLIS - Louisville won two of three games Saturday two advance to the semifinals of the Metrodome Classic in Minneapolis.
The Cards split their final two round-robin games, defeating Northern Iowa 4-3 in nine innings and losing to Minnesota 2-1. In Saturday's late quarterfinal game, the third-seeded Cardinals defeated sixth-seeded Western Illinois 3-2 in a tenth-inning tie breaker.
In that game, U of L got the early lead in the bottom of the third when Nicole Sparks singled to reach first, advanced to second on Candi Padilla's base hit, moved to third on Amy Pickering's walk and scored on Keola Calderon's sacrifice hit.
Western Illinois answered in the top of the fourth when Kelly Johnston scored on a double steal to tie the game at one.
Louisville came back in the bottom of the fourth when Val Smith doubled to lead off the inning, reached third on a Westerwind error and scored on Sparks' single.
Western Illinois tied the game again in the top of the fifth when a U of L error allowed the Westerwinds' Alicia Kelly to score.
U of L's winning run came in the bottom of the tenth when Louisville started the inning with Pickering as a runner on second, she scored on Melissa Jacobo's game-winning single.
Offensively for the Cards, Smith went three for four with two doubles and a run scored. Sparks went three for five with one run.
Louisville pitcher Jessica Rak improved her record to 3-0 and pitched 10 innings, allowed one earned run on seven hits and struck out four.
The Cards advanced to the semi-finals of the Metrodome Softball Classic on Sunday where they faced host Minnesota.
