University of Louisville
Fresno State
Softball Splits with No. 21 Fresno State
February 17, 2007 | Softball
Feb. 17, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - - The University of Louisville softball team survived a late inning rally by No. 21 Fresno State and held on to win 6-4 in the first game of a double header. In the second game, the Bulldogs broke up Kassie Stanfill's one-hitter and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth en route to a 3-0 win at Fresno State's Bulldog Diamond Saturday afternoon.
In the first game of the day, the Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first when Courtney Moore singled and Melissa Roth was hit by a pitch. A Bulldog error sent Moore to third, placing runners on the corners with two outs. Brittany York's base hit sent Moore home to make it a 1-0 game. Roth crossed the plate on a single by Brooke McCrain.
U of L added two more runs in the second to make it a 4-0 game. Kassie Stanfill led off the frame with a walk and took second when Candi Hicks was safe on an infield single. Audrey Rendon singled to right field and a Fresno State miscue sent Stanfill and Hicks home.
The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Aja Scheuber drew a walk, Jenna Cervantez singled and Lisamarie Coronado was hit by a pitch. Lindsay Milkovich's bases-loaded walk scored Scheuber to make it a 4-1 game.
Fresno State tacked on another run in the bottom of the third when Nichole Willis singled, took second on a wild pitch and came home on Scheuber's base hit to make the score 4-2.
The Cards scored two runs in the fifth when Hicks drew a leadoff walk and Moore powered a home run over left center field to make it a 6-2 game, providing what would end up being the winning run.
The Bulldogs pulled within two in the sixth when Cervantez led off with a walk. Coronado doubled, took third in the throw and scored on a Cardinal error to make the score 6-4.
Fresno State threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Merryann Barr delivered a one-out single, bringing the tying run to the plate. Cervantez rifled a shot to third, but Louisville's Audrey Rendon caught it and threw to Sarah Totten at first for a game-ending double play.
Catherine Bishop (1-4) got the win, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits and striking out three in 2.2 innings of relief. Stanfill picked up her first save of the season, holding the Bulldogs scoreless and giving up one hit in 1.1 innings. Starter Kristen Wadwell allowed two earned runs on three hits in 3.0 innings. The Cards had nine hits in the game and were led at the plate by Moore's 2 for 3, two run, two RBI performance. McCrain also went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Robin Mackin (4-2) took the loss, allowing four runs, one earned on five hits in one innings. Barr gave up two earned runs on four hits and struck out five in 6.0 innings of relief.
Game 2 - No. 21 Fresno State 3 - Louisville 0
The nightcap featured a pitcher's duel through five innings. Fresno State starter Robin Macklin held the Cards to two hits through six innings, while Louisville starter Kassie Stanfill retired the first nine batters she faced and allowed only one hit until the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, pinch hitter Aja Scheuber drew a leadoff walk. Michelle Palazuelos re-entered the game as a pinch-runner and moved to second on Mallory Perkins' groundout. Jenna Cervantez walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Nichole Willis singled to score Palazuelos, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Kristin Sylvester's double sent home Cervantez and Mallory Perkins who was pinch-running for Willis to increase the lead to 3-0.
In the top of the seventh, Totten and McCrain each registered two-out singles to bring the tying run to the plate, but Macklin got the next batter to fly out to end the game and preserve the shutout.
The Cardinals also had an opportunity to score in the third when Stanfill walked and moved to third on Audrey Rendon's single. Rendon stole second to two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Macklin retired the next batter to end the inning.
Stanfill (2-2) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits and striking out three in 5.1 innings. Bishop was strong in relief, retiring both batters she faced. Offensively, the Cards had four hits in the game. Rendon finished 1 for 2. Moore, Totten and McCrain each went 1 for 3.
Macklin (5-2) got the win, giving up four hits in the complete game shutout while posting seven strikeouts. The Bulldogs had three hits in the game.
"I was really pleased with the way Kassie Stanfill came to play this weekend - especially in today's second game" said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I was happy to get a win against a very good Fresno State team and a solid pitcher. We faltered at times, but overall, we're starting to put things together."
U of L (3-5) will play host to Kansas, Kent State and Iowa in the Red & Black Tournament Feb. 23-25 at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards will face Kansas Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.
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