University of Louisville
Charlotte
Softball Drops Charlotte 8-1
March 19, 2003 | Softball
March 19, 2003
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - - The University of Louisville softball team opened Conference USA play Wednesday with an 8-1 win over Charlotte. The second game of the doubleheader was postponed due to rain. It is rescheduled for Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the second when Lisa Estes drew a walk, moved to third as Lacy Wood reached when Charlotte misplayed her sacrifice bunt. Estes scored on Aja Sherman's groundout and Lisa McMillan's single brought Wood home to make it a 2-0 game.
Louisville added two more runs in the fourth when Sherman drew a walk, moved to second on McMillan's fielder's choice. A double by Michelle Vasquez scored Sherman and Wood to increase the Cardinals' lead to 4-0.
U of L added another insurance run in the fifth as Keola Calderon led off with a two-base error, moved to third on a hit by Estes and scored on Wood's single to make it a 5-0 game.
A three-run sixth gave the Cards an 8-0 lead. Nord led off with a single, stole second and third and scored on another Charlotte miscue. Sara Bausher drew a walk, stole second, took third on the error and scored on Calderon's triple. After a 45 -minute rain delay, Calderon scored on Wood's groundout to give the Cardinals an 8-0 lead.
Charlotte put a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Lynne LaPorte broke up Louisville starter Jessica Rak's no-hitter with an infield single to lead off the inning. Melanie Thevenote's base hit moved LaPorte to third and she scored on Autumn Lawson's sacrifice fly to for the 8-1 game.
"We're excited to start conference play with a win," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We played well, but we need to pick up our offense if we want to continue to win in the league."
Rak (5-4) earned the win, giving up one earned run on two hits and striking out nine in seven innings. Offensively, the Cards had seven hits. Nord finished the game batting 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Charlotte starter Amy Morse (4-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs, three of them earned, on seven hits and striking out one in 5.1 innings.
Louisville (8-10, 1-0) and Charlotte (11-11, 2-2) will play Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
