University of Louisville
Illinois
No. 20 Softball Falls to Illinois 6-2
February 09, 2007 | Softball
Feb. 9, 2007
MIAMI - - The No. 20 ranked University of Louisville softball team fell to Illinois 6-2 Friday afternoon in the Florida International Fun & Sun Diamond Classic. "I thought we hit the ball well today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We had a few defensive lapses and our pitching struggled."
Illinois jumped to a 1-0 lead on Angelena Mexicano's two-out solo shot over the left field wall in the first.
The Cards answered in the bottom of the second when Sarah Totten drew a walk, moved to third on an Illini error and came home on Kristi Cunningham's single.
The Illini put up a four-spot in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead. Shanna Diller got things started with a leadoff walk and Mexicano followed with a single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Sydney Lisy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pinch hitter Lana Armstrong's walk scored Diller to give the Illini a 2-1 lead. Makenzie Smith's three-run double made it a 5-1 game.
The Cards added a run in the bottom of the third when Candi Hicks walked took second on Melissa Roth's single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Brittany York's sacrifice fly sent Hicks home to make the score 5-2.
Illinois increased the lead to 6-2 in the sixth when Mexicano reached on an error and scored on another Cardinal miscue.
The Cards had six hits in the game and were led by Moore's 2 for 4 performance. Starter Kassie Stanfill (0-1) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on four hits and striking out two in 2.2 innings. Catherine Bishop allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out tow in 4.1 innings of relief.
The Illini were led by Mexicano who went 3 for 4 with a home run three runs and an RBI. Ashley Wright (1-0) got the win, holding Louisville scoreless and giving up three hits in the final four innings.
U of L (0-2) will play Illinois State at 12 p.m. and Florida International at 4 p.m. Saturday.
