University of Louisville
CHARLOTTE
Softball Sweeps Charlotte Doubleheader 8-0 and 3-2
April 24, 2004 | Softball
April 24, 2004
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - Junior Aja Sherman posted a five-inning perfect game as the University of Louisville softball team defeated visiting Charlotte 8-0 in the first game of a Conference USA doubleheader at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards won 3-2 in the nightcap. Louisville improves to 37-11 (18-2 C-USA) while Charlotte falls to 18-24 (4-13).
In the first game, the Cardinals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Shannon Nord led off the game with a bunt single, took second on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by Michelle Vasquez brought Nord home to make it a 1-0 game.
The Cards added five runs in the second when Courtney Moore drew a walk and Sherman singled. Candi Hicks ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score Moore. Nord's two-run double scored Sherman and Audrey Rendon who had reached on a fielder's choice. Vasquez singled, moved to second as the 49ers tried to throw Nord out at the plate. An error on the play allowed Vasquez to score, increasing the lead to 6-0.
U of L scored the final two runs in the fourth when Rendon reached on an error, stole second, moved to third on Nord's sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout by Amy Summers. A base hit by Lisa Estes sent Sara Bausher, who had reached on an error, home to make it an 8-0 game.
Sherman (13-3) posted U of L's first perfect game, retiring all 15 batters, striking out six in five innings. She is a perfect 9-0 in Conference USA games with five shutouts. Offensively, the Cardinals had eight hits and were led by Nord, who was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Kristen Bowen (10-12) took the loss for Charlotte, allowing eight runs, five of the earned on eight hits and striking out one in four innings.
In the second game, Louisville scored a run in the bottom of the third to take when Rendon bunted for a single, stole second and moved to third on Nord's bunt single. Rendon scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Candi Hicks give the Cards a 1-0 lead.
U of L added two more in the fourth when Lisa Estes reached on an error and Jenn Skaggs blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to make it a 3-0 game.
The 49ers responded with two runs in the fifth. J.J. McVay singled to lead off the inning. Kaycie Jones followed with a walk and Becky Holt delivered a single to load the bases. Karianne Huffstetler's RBI single brought McVay home to put Charlotte on the scoreboard. A sacrifice fly by Jessica Moore scored Jones to make it a 3-2 game. The 49ers had runners on second and third with one out, but Louisville starter Catherine Bishop retired the next two batters to get out of the inning and preserve the lead.
Bishop (8-4) picked up the win for the Cardinals, allowing two earned runs on four hits in five innings. Kady Garrick picked up her first career save, allowing one hit and striking out two in two innings. Offensively, the Cards had four hits in the game. Hicks was 1-for-2 with a stolen base and an RBI. Rendon was 1-for-2 with a stolen base and a run.
"I was very pleased with Aja Sherman's pitching performance in the first game, you cannot ask for anything more from a pitcher," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Charlotte is definitely a talented team and they showed us what they were made of in the second game. Good, solid defense and a timely home run by Jenn Skaggs helped us win in that second game."
The teams will meet in the final game of the series Sunday at noon at Ulmer Stadium.
