University of Louisville
Kent State<BR>(Kentucky Tournament)
Softball Defeats Kent State and Southeast Missouri
March 10, 2001 | Softball
March 10, 2001
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team edged Kent State 4-3 and defeated Southeast Missouri 7-2 in the University of Kentucky Invitational Tournament on Saturday.
In the first game of the day, Kent State opened the scoring in the top of the third inning when Marcie Ridenbaugh doubled and was brought in on Leah Dorto's two-run homer to give the Golden Flashes a 2-0 lead.
Louisville answered in the bottom of the third when Coleen Coughlin singled to reach base, moved to second on Keola Calderon's base hit, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Candi Padilla's single. Calderon tied the score at 2-2 when she crossed the plate on Melissa Jacobo's sacrifice fly.
The Golden Flashes pulled ahead 3-2 in the sixth when Dorto powered her second homerun of the game, a solo shot to left center.
The Cards won the game in the bottom of the seventh when Val Smith doubled, and moved to third when Coughlin reached on an error. Calderon hit the ball deep down the left field line to score Smith and Coughlin and give U of L the 4-3 win.
Louisville starter Mandy Rockwell (5-3) scattered five hits over seven innings and struck out
eight.
In the Southeast Missouri game, U of L got on the board in the bottom of the first when Coughlin singled to center, stole second and scored on Padilla's triple. Padilla then scored on Melissa Jacobo's base hit to make the score 2-0.
R H EKENT STATE 3 5 2LOUISVILLE 4 7 1
The Cards added the game-winning run in the third inning when Keola Calderon reached first on an Othaikian error and scored when Padilla hit into a fielder's choice to make the score 3-0.
U of L took a 4-0 lead in the fourth when Kristi Rozelle singled to reach first, moved to third on a double by Val Smith and scored on a fielder's choice by Coughlin.
Southeast Missouri got on the board in the fifth inning when Erica Bonilla hit an infield single, moved to second when Kemi Rampi reached on a Louisville error, Mindy Myers loaded the bases when she drew a walk and Bonilla and Rampi scored on Brooke Nett's single to right center to close the score to 4-2.
The Cardinals responded with an insurance run in the fifth when Jacobo doubled and then scored on Lisa McMillan's double down the left field line.
Smith and Calderon tacked on two more runs in the sixth to give Louisville the 7-2 win.
U of L starter Jessica Rak (5-3) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out 10 in seven innings.
"I feel like the team is playing well right now," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We still have some things to work on but we're showing definite improvement towards our ultimate goals."
The Cards (15-7) will play Indiana at 1 p.m. Sunday and close out the tournament against host Kentucky at 5 p.m.
R H ESE MISSOURI 2 4 2LOUISVILLE 7 10 1
