University of Louisville
Missouri
No. 21 Softball Sweeps Missouri 2-0 and 7-6
March 18, 2006 | Softball
March 18, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - - The No. 21 ranked University of Louisville softball team swept host Missouri in a doubleheader Saturday at Missouri's University Field. The Cards won 2-0 in the first game and 7-6 in the second. U of L improves to 16-2 on the season.
The first game featured a pitcher's duel with both teams held scoreless through six innings. The Cardinals broke through in the top of the seventh when Sarah Totten drew a one-out walk. Leslie Garland entered the game as a pinch runner and moved to third on Kristi Cunningham's double. Audrey Rendon's delivered a single to send Garland and Cunningham home to give U of L a 2-0 lead.
Missouri threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Amanda Jo White reached on an error and Alli Kennewell drew a one-out walk to bring the winning run to the plate. Louisville starter Catherine Bishop got Gina Schneider to groundout to third baseman Audrey Rendon who stepped on the bag and threw Schneider out at first for a double play to end the game.
Louisville's Bishop (8-1) picked up her third shutout of the season, scattering four hits and striking out five in seven innings. Rendon led the Cards at the plate going 2 for 3 with two RBI and a stolen base.
Missouri starter Jen Bruck (13-7) took the loss, allowing five hits and striking out three in seven innings.
While runs may have been hard to come by in the first game, they came early and often in the second as the teams took turns scoring each inning. Lacy Wood's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the game winner as the Tigers' rally in the seventh fell short.
The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead when Rendon led off with a bunt single and took second on Candi Hicks' sacrifice bunt. Courtney Moore walked to set up Michelle Vasquez's two-run double.
The Tigers responded with a run in the bottom of the inning when Bruck delivered a two-out single and crossed the plate with Micaela Minner doubled down the right field line to make it a 2-1 game.
Mizzou added another run in the second when Kennewell led off with a single and Alyson Tobyne followed with a walk. Andee Allen's an RBI single tied the game at 2-2.
The Tigers pulled ahead 3-2 in the third when Bruck doubled, took third on Minner's groundout and scored White's sacrifice fly.
U of L responded and regained the lead in the fourth when Kassie Stanfill was safe on a bunt single, moved to second on Totten's fielder's choice and crossed the plate on Cunningham's double to even the score at 3-3. Hicks' sacrifice fly sent Totten home to give the Cards a 4-3 lead.
Mizzou answered in the bottom of the fourth when Tobyne drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Allen's sacrifice bunt and took third when a Cardinal error allowed Sarah Stringer to reach. Schneider's single scored Tobyne to tie the game at 4-4. The Tigers had a chance to take the lead when Bruck walked to load the bases, but Louisville's Kassie Stanfill retired the next batter to get out of the inning.
Once again, Louisville took the lead with a run in the top of the fifth. Wood walked and scored on Vasquez's second double of the game to make the score 5-4.
White's solo shot over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 5-5.
Keeping with the theme of the game, the Cardinals regained the lead for good in the sixth when Courtney Moore singled and Wood delivered her third home run of the season to make the score 7-5.
The Tigers scored again in the bottom of the seventh when Bruck walked and Minner singled. White's groundout moved the runners and White walked to load the bases with one out. Tobyne's groundout sent Bruck home to pull Mizzou within one, placing the tying run on third and the winning run on second, but Bishop retired the final batter to get her second win of the day.
Bishop (9-1) allowed one earned run and struck out three in 3.0 innings of relief. Starter Kady Garrick allowed three earned runs on five hits and struck out three in 2.1 innings and Stanfill allowed two runs, one of them earned on two hits and struck out two in 1.2 innings of work. Offensively, the Cards belted out 10 hits with Leslie Garland's 3 for 3 performance leading the way. Vasquez finished the game batting 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBI. Wood was 1 for 3 with two runs and two RBI.
Missouri's Kathy Masterson (0-1) took the loss, allowing three earned runs and five hits in 2.0 innings of relief. Starter Megan Dennis allowed four earned runs and five hits in 5.0 innings. Bruck led the Tigers going 2 for 2 and scoring three runs. Mizzou falls to 15-10 on the season.
The teams will complete the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.
