University of Louisville
Western Kentucky
Softball Sweeps Western Kentucky 8-1 and 5-4
April 07, 2004 | Softball
April 7, 2004
BOWLING, GREEN, Ky. - - The University of Louisville softball team swept Western Kentucky in a doubleheader, using four home runs to win the first game 8-1 and a three-run shot by Sara Bausher in the seventh inning to win the nightcap 5-4.
In the first game, the Cards belted out four home runs on 11 hits en route to an 8-1 win. U of L got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when Lacy Wood led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lisa Estes. Courtney Moore blasted a two-run home run to right center to give U of L a 2-0 lead.
The Hilltoppers responded in the bottom of the fifth when Jessi Richardson led off with a solo home run to make it a 2-1 game.
U of L added two runs in the sixth when Wood delivered a two-out solo shot to left center. Lisa Estes followed with a single, took second on a wild pitch and came home on a base hit by Moore to give the Cards a 4-1 lead.
Louisville put up four more runs in the top of the seventh, pinch-hitter Jenn Skaggs was hit by a pitch. Audrey Rendon re-entered the game to run, stole second and crossed the plate on a single by Michelle Vasquez. Sara Bausher and Wood hit back-to-back home runs to make it an 8-1 game.
Kady Garrick (14-4) picked up the win in relief, allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out two in four innings. Starter Catherine Bishop held the Hilltoppers scoreless on two hits and struck out three in three innings. Offensively, the Cardinals had 11 hits in the game. Wood was 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and two RBI. Moore was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run. Candi Hicks was 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
WKU's Allison Silver (12-5) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on five hits in five innings. In the second game, the teams played through two scoreless innings before the Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the top of the third when Audrey Rendon tripled and came home on a base hit by Shannon Nord to give Louisville a 1-0 lead. Western Kentucky pulled ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Bailey Rolfs and Lindsay Gatti drew back-to-back walks. Rolfs moved to third on a passed ball and came home Dana Rey's infield hit to tie the game at 1-1. Pinch-runner Jen Balance took third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch to give the Hilltoppers a 2-1 lead.
The Cards got the run back in the top of the sixth when Wood walked, moved to second on a hit by Moore and scored on an RBI single by Estes to tie the game a 2-2.
The Hilltoppers answered in the bottom half of the inning when Shelly Floyd drew a lead-off walk to set up Samantha Rey's two-run homer, giving WKU a 4-2 lead.
Louisville responded in the seventh when Rendon delivered a single and Nord reached safely on a fielder's choice for Bausher, who drove a two-out, three-run home run over the left field fence to give the Cards the 5-4 win.
WKU threatened in the bottom half of the inning when Riley Garcia delivered a one-out single to put the tying run on first bring the winning run to the plate , but reliever Aja Sherman retired the next two batters to get the win.
Sherman (9-2) allowed four runs, three of the earned on three hits and struck out six in three innings. Offensively, the Cardinals had eight hits in the game. Rendon was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs.
Western Kentucky starter Adrienne Lathrop (8-6) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and striking out four in seven innings. The Hilltoppers fall to 22-11 on the season.
"I'm very pleased with how we hit the ball today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I'm even more excited about the way our team fought back when we were behind. It takes character to fight through being down two runs in the seventh inning and it's something that you're not sure a young team will have. This team continues to surprise me and show me how much heart they have. I'm extremely excited about Sara Bausher's hitting. She has really come through for us in the clutch this year. We also got some nice pitching performances from our freshmen Catherine Bishop and Kady Garrick today.
U of L (29-10, 10-2 Conference USA) will play DePaul in a C-USA doubleheader on Friday, April 9 at 3:00 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. The teams will meet in a single game on Saturday, April 10 at 1:00 p.m. The game will be televised live on WDRB.
