University of Louisville
KENTUCKY
Softball Prevails Over Kentucky 7-6 in Nine Innings
April 11, 2007 | Softball
April 11, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky fought through a rain delay and nine innings before the Cardinals prevailed 7-6 Wednesday night at Ulmer Stadium. U of L improves to 23-16, while Kentucky falls to 19-18 on the season.
"I was really proud of the way we kept fighting back throughout the game," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We haven't been doing that earlier this season, but we are finally starting to come together."
The Cardinals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Audrey Rendon led off the home half of the inning with a single up the middle, took second on Melissa Roth's sacrifice bunt and scored on Courtney Moore's base hit.
After sitting through an hour and five minute rain delay, Louisville pulled ahead 2-0 in the third when Roth walked and took third on Brooke McCrain's double. Kristi Cunningham's single plated Roth.
Kentucky answered in the fourth when Brooke Marnitz tripled to set up Katie Campbell's one-out shot over right center to tie the game at 2-2.
The Wildcats took a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Ashley Fertic singled, moved to second on Ashley Dimkich's sacrifice bunt and scored on Natalie Smith's base hit.
The Cards tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when Audrey Rendon delivered a one-out triple to place the tying run on third. Courtney Moore drew a two-out walk to account for the winning run at first. McCrain's RBI single sent Rendon home to make it a 3-3 game. UK's Jennifer Young retired the next batter to send the game into extra innings.
The eighth inning started with Kentucky's Audrey Meyer on second in accordance with the international tiebreaker rule. Marnitz walked and Campbell loaded the bases when she reached on a Cardinal error. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Alli Eckman sent Meyer home to make it a 4-3 game.
The Cards responded in the home half of the inning. Cunningham was placed on second and thrown out at the plate while trying to score on York's single. York moved to third on Rebecca Saksefski's sacrifice bunt and came home on Sarah Totten's single to tie the score at 4-4.
Kentucky scored two runs in the ninth when Fertic started at second, moved to third on Dimkich's sacrifice bunt and came home on Mordecai's single. Smith's triple sent Mordecai home to give the Cats 7-5 lead.
Louisville started the bottom of the ninth with pinch-runner Candi Hicks on second. Hicks scored on Roth's one-out single to right field to pull the Cardinals within a run. Moore walked to place runners on first and second. McCrain's single loaded the bases with one out. Cunningham hit into a fielder's choice, but an error on the throw home allowed Roth and Moore to cross the plate to give U of L the 7-6 win.
Louisville's Kristen Wadwell (7-5) got the win, allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits and striking out five in five innings. Cardinal starter Catherine Bishop allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out five in four innings. U of L had 13 hits in the game. Rendon was 3 for 5 with a triple and two runs. McCrain was 3 for 5 with an RBI and Totten was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Kentucky's Young (7-5) took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned on seven hits in six innings. UK had seven hits in the game. Smith was 2 for 5 with two RBI.
U of L (23-16) will travel to Syracuse for a BIG EAST doubleheader on Friday. Following that, the Cards will play a twinbill at Pittsburgh Sunday.
