University of Louisville
Maryland<br>(Georgia Southern Invitational)
Softball Rallies to Top Maryland 5-4
February 19, 2006 | Softball
Feb. 19, 2006
STATESBORO, Ga. - - The University of Louisville softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Maryland 5-4 Sunday in the Georgia Southern Invitational. The Cardinals improve to 8-0 to continue their best start in program history.
Down 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Louisville's Sarah Totten led off with a walk and was lifted for pinch-runner Brittney Counts. Jenn Skaggs stepped up to the plate and crushed a home run over the center field fence to pull the Cards within one run. Kristi Cunningham delivered a one-out single to continue the rally and Audrey Rendon reached safely on a bunt to put the winning run on first. Both runners advanced on a passed ball. Candi Hicks was intentionally walked to bring up Courtney Moore who blasted a drive to Terrapin first baseman Lindsay Klein who was able to knock down the hit and recover in time to throw Cunningham out at the plate. With the bases loaded and two outs, Lacy Wood singled to short centerfield, sending Rendon and Hicks home for the 5-4 win.
Maryland jumped to a 3-0lead in the top of the first when Jennifer Belak and Nikki Smith drew walks and Lindsey Ubrun singled to send Belak home, Smith scored on a Louisville error. Rachel Grayson's hit plated Ubrun to make it a 3-0 game.
The Terps added another run in the fourth when Meghan Booth walked moved to second on a wild pitch, third on a passed ball and scored when Abbey Welch reached on an error.
Louisville got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when Rendon beat Maryland third baseman Lindsey Ubrun's throw for an infield single and scored on Courtney Moore's triple to make it a 4-1 game.
Maryland's Meredith Nelles (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs, two of them earned, on six hits and striking out two in two innings. Crystal Crews held the Cardinals to one earned run on two hits in 3.2 innings. The Terps fall to 3-2 on the season.
Catherine Bishop (4-0) got the win, allowing one unearned run on one hit and striking out six in six innings of relief. Offensively, the Cards had eight hits in the game. Rendon was 2 for 3 with two runs. Cunningham was 2 for 3. The win marks the second consecutive game in which the Cards have come from behind to win in the bottom of the seventh. Louisville (8-0) will travel to Columbus, Ga., for the NFCA Leadoff Classic Feb. 24-26.
