University of Louisville
Saint Louis
Softball Sweeps Saint Louis 4-0 and 8-5
March 20, 2002 | Softball
March 20, 2002
ST. LOUIS - The University of Louisville softball team swept host Saint Louis in a Conference USA doubleheader, winning the first game 4-0 and rallying from a 5-1 deficit to win the nightcap 8-5 on Wednesday at the Billiken Sports Complex.
In game one, the Cardinals started the scoring in the top of the first when Keola Calderon reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a wild pitch. She moved to third and scored on a Billiken throwing error to give U of L a 1-0 lead.
Louisville added a run in the second when Lisa McMillan reached after her sacrifice bunt resulted in a Saint Louis error and crossed the plate on Shannon Nord's triple to increase the Cards' lead to 2-0.
Melissa Jacobo's solo home run in the sixth made the score 3-0.
The Cardinals padded their lead to 4-0 in the top of the seventh when Nord led off with an infield single, moved to second on Kenzie Meisenburg's base hit, advanced the third on Sara Bausher's sacrifice bunt and scored when Calderon grounded out to second.
Offensively, the Cardinals were led by Nord who finished two for three with a triple, a run scored and one RBI. Meisenburg batted two for four. Starter Jessica Rak (11-7) posted her fourth complete game shutout of the season, giving up six hits over seven innings and striking out three.
LOUISVILLE 4 8 2SAINT LOUIS 0 6 2
In the second game, Saint Louis' Adrie Bogaars led off the second inning with a single and moved to second on Beth Yagge's base hit. Both players advanced on a double steal to set up Heather Hubert's two-run triple and give the Billikens a 2-0 lead. Hubert crossed the plate on a single by Kerri Higgins, who advanced to second on a Louisville error. Higgins moved to third when Erin Jeffrey reached on a fielder's choice and came home on another double steal to make the score 4-0.
Louisville put up a run in the third when Lisa McMillan drew a walk, moved to second on Nord's sacrifice bunt, advanced to third when Meisenburg grounded out and scored on Bausher's RBI single to make it a 4-1 game.
Bogaars gave the Billikens a 5-1 lead with a solo home run in the bottom half of the third.
U of L scored another run in the top of the fourth when Jacobo led off with a single, moved to second on Sparks' single, advanced to third and scored on a single by Lisa Estes to make the score 5-2.
The Cards scored five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-5 lead. Meisenburg led off with a single and crossed the plate on Bausher's triple to make the score 5-3. Bausher scored on Calderon's base hit to pull the Cards within one. Calderon moved to second on a wild pitch and Melissa Jacobo drew a walk. Sparks' sacrifice bunt advanced the runners. Estes' bases-clearing triple brought in Calderon and Kristi Rozelle, pinch-running for Jacobo, to make the score 6-5. Estes then scored on a single by Jodi Thomas to give Louisville a 7-5 lead.
Louisville scored another run in the sixth when Calderon led off with a single, moved to third on Jacobo's double and scored on a single by Sparks to increase the Cards' lead to 8-5.
Offensively, the Cards pounded out a season-high 16 hits. Bausher went three for five with a triple, a run and two RBI. Estes finished batting two for four with a triple, three RBI and a run scored. Reliever Jessica Rak (12-7) got the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out four in six innings.
"We are definitely pleased to get two Conference USA wins at Saint Louis. We've struggled with them as a team in the past," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "This was the first time in a week that we've been aggressive at the plate and defensively and it paid off with two wins."
U of L (14-15, 3-2) will play host to No. 13 Michigan and Saint Louis this weekend, March 22-24 at Ulmer Stadium for the Cardinal Spring Tournament.
LOUISVILLE 8 16 2SAINT LOUIS 5 8 0
