Softball Opens Fall Season with Doubleheader Sweep of Western Kentucky
September 24, 2006 | Softball
Sept. 24, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville softball team opened the 2006-07 fall season with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Western Kentucky Sunday at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards overcame a 2-0 deficit in the first game to beat the Hilltoppers 6-2 and picked up a 5-3 decision in the nightcap.
"This first fall game is one where all we try to work the kinks out and the players get over their nervousness," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I saw some great things from our pitchers and on offense and defense. But we're not in regular season form yet, we have a lot of work to do before the spring."
In game one, Western's Rachelle Boucher walked, stole second and scored on Rebecca Horesky's hit to give the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead in the first. WKU scored an unearned run in the third when Renikka Toliver was hit by a pitch, moved to second and crossed the plate on Sam Cronk's single.
U of L got on the scoreboard in the home half of the inning when Becca Saksefski led off with a hit and moved to second on Melissa Roth's infield single. Kassie Stanfill's walk loaded the bases for Audrey Rendon whose sacrifice fly to right field sent Saksefski home to make it a 2-1 game.
The Cards took advantage of two errors to put up five unearned runs in the fifth. Stanfill reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second when Audrey Rendon reached on an error. Kristi Cunningham walked to load the bases for Courtney Moore's three-run single.
Louisville starter Catherine Bishop allowed two runs, one earned on two hits and struck out three in 4.2 innings. Kristen Wadwell held the Hilltoppers scoreless while giving up only one hit in 2.1 innings. Offensively the Cards had seven hits in the game with Moore's 2 for 3, two RBI performance leading the way.
Western starter Ryan Rogge allowed six runs, only one earned, on seven hits and struck out four in six innings. Horesky led the Hilltoppers offensively going 2 for 3 with an RBI.
In the second game, the Cards struck early with three runs in the first inning. Rendon led off with a bunt single, Melissa Roth followed with a base hit and Cunningham's walk loaded the bases for Sarah Totten's three-run single.
U of L added two more runs in the second when Stanfill reached on an fielder's choice and was lifted for pinch runner Melissa Vascil. Rendon and Roth walked to load the bases. Cunningham delivered a two-run single to give the Cards a 5-0 lead.
WKU scored two runs in the fourth when Ashley Contreras and Boucher registered back-to-back one out singles. Both runners moved on a passed ball and scored on Cronk's base hit to make the score 5-2.
The Hilltoppers tallied their final run in the seventh when Kelsey McCauley led off the frame with a bunt single and moved to second on Amanda Ford-Feitz's walk. Two wild pitches sent McCauley home for the 5-3 final.
Wadwell started the game in the circle for the Cards and surrendered only one hit in 2. 0 innings. Stanfill allowed two earned runs on four hits in four innings of work. Bishop gave up one earned run and one hit in the seventh inning. The Cards had eight hits in the game with Totten leading at the plate going 2 for 3 with two RBI.
Western Kentucky's Jennifer Kempf allowed five runs, three earned on eight hits in six innings. Boucher went 3 for 3 with a run scored.
