University of Louisville
Notre Dame
Softball Sweeps Notre Dame 8-2, 5-0
April 21, 2007 | Softball
April 21, 2007
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - - The University of Louisville softball team swept host Notre Dame 8-2 and 5-0 in a BIG EAST Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Cards improve to 28-17 and 9-1 in league play while the Irish fall to 24-16 (9-3).
"Our team came out swinging their bats aggressively today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I thought our pitching staff did a great job against their hitters and I am happy that we could play this strongly on the road against a very good Notre Dame on their home field."
In game one, the Cardinals took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Melissa Roth delivered a one-out double and crossed the plate on Courtney Moore's double to put Louisville on the scoreboard. Moore came home on Kristi Cunningham's RBI single. \ Notre Dame struck in the home half of the inning. Stephanie Brown reached on an error, moved to third on Katie Laing's single and scored on Christine Lux's two-out single.
Moore led off the third with her eighth home run of the season to give Louisville a 3-1 lead.
U of L put up two more runs in the fourth. Kassie Stanfill registered her second single of the game and took second on Candi Hicks groundout and crossed the plate on Audrey Rendon's base hit. Rendon moved to second on the throw and advanced to third on a passed ball. Roth's single plated Rendon to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Irish answered in the bottom of the fourth. Linda Kohan registered a two-out single. Beth Northway's base hit placed runners on the corners for Brittney Bargar's RBI single to make the score 5-2.
The Cards used three hits and two errors to tack on three more runs in the sixth. Stanfill led off with her third hit of the game and took second on a passed ball. Hicks' single placed runners on first and third for Rendon's RBI single. An Irish miscue allowed Roth to reach and sent Hicks and Rendon home to make the score 8-2.
Notre Dame had a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh when Brittany Glynn led off the inning with a single and took second on a wild pitch with no outs. Cardinal starter Catherine Bishop got Carissa Jaquish to foul out and Brown to groundout. U of L shortstop Moore made a diving catch on what would have been a bloop single from Hufnagle to end the game.
Bishop (7-7) got the complete game win, allowing two runs, one earned on seven hits and striking out three. The Cards had 11 hits in the game. Stanfill was 3 for 4 with two runs. Moore went 2 for 4 with a homer, a double, two runs and two RBI. Rendon was 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBI and two stolen bases. Roth also had a pair of hits with a double, two RBI and a run.
Bargar (16-8) took the loss, giving up eight runs, six earned on 11 hits and striking out four in seven innings.
In game two, the Cards capitalized on five hits and an error to put up a five spot in the third. Hicks got things started with a bunt single to leadoff the inning. Rendon reached on an error to place runners on the corners. Roth was hit by a pitch to load the bags for Moore's two-run single. McCrain stepped up to the plate for a two-run double, giving U of L a 4-0 lead. Saksefski's base hit plated McCrain to make the score 5-0.
Notre Dame threatened to score in the home half of the third inning. Bargar led off with a single. A Cardinal error allowed her to take second on Brown's fielder's choice. Both runners moved on Northway's long flyout to centerfield. A two-out walk to Laing loaded the bases, but Louisville starter Kristen Wadwell retired the next batter to preserve the shutout.
Wadwell (11-5) got the complete-game shutout win, giving up three hits and striking out four. The Cardinals had nine hits in the game, led by McCrain's 2 for 4, one run, two RBI performance.
Kenya Fuemmeler (8-8) took the loss, allowing five runs, three earned on nine hits and striking out five in seven games.
U of L will travel to No. 11/17 DePaul for another BIG EAST Conference doubleheader Sunday.
