University of Louisville
Houston
Softball Blanks Houston
May 10, 2001 | Softball
May 10, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team defeated fifth-seeded Houston 8-0 in five innings Thursday in the first round of the 2001 Conference USA Softball Tournament presented by U of L Health Care.
The fourth-seeded Cardinals scored four runs in the second inning as Nikki Gaudio led off with a single, moved to second on Kristi Rozelle's base hit,and scored on Lisa McMillan's single to give Louisville the 1-0 lead. Kenzie Meisenburg followed with an infield single. Keola Calderon's three-run triple brought in Rozelle, McMillan and Meisenburg to give Louisville a 4-0 advantage.
U of L added two more runs in the third as Nikki Gaudio reached safely on an error, moved to second when Lisa McMillan reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to third when Nicole Sparks reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Coughlin's single. Meisenburg's infield hit brought in McMillan to make the score 6-0.
Candi Padilla's triple in the fourth scored Amber Jolley, pinch running for Melissa Jacobo, who had led off the inning with a walk. Gaudio's single brought in Padilla to give the Cards the 8-0 run lead and win on the eight-run rule.
Louisville starter Tara McClure (19-8) picked up the win and her seventh shutout of the season. She allowed three hits and struck out two in five innings pitched.
Meisenburg finished the game batting three-for-three with a run scored and two RBI. Calderon went two-for -three with a triple and two RBI, Padilla also finished two-for-three with a triple, a run scored and one RBI, Gaudio also went two-for-three with two runs scored and an RBI.
"Our defense was solid, and we hit the way we needed to," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "The crowd support helded us out, it got our adrenaline going and brought our game up a level."
The Cards (38-24) will play top seed DePaul (48-13-1) Friday at noon at Ulmer Stadium. Houston (22-32) will face No. 8 Charlotte on Thursday night at 8:30.
