Softball Drops Two at Samford Bulldog Bash
February 16, 2008 | Softball
Feb. 16, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - - The University of Louisville softball team dropped two games on the second day of the Samford Bulldog Bash Saturday. The Cards fell to Troy 4-3 in nine innings and lost to North Florida 3-1 in the nightcap.
In game one, Heidi Johnson's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth gave Troy a 4-3 win over
The Trojans threatened to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Hillary Hughes reached on a single and Jessica Lyle followed with a two-out walk to load the bases. Cardinal starter Kassie Stanfill struck out Cassie Lassiter to quell the threat.
Kassie Stanfill led off the top of the third with a solo home run over the left field fence to give Louisville a 1-0 lead.
Troy had another chance to score in the fifth when Moore singled, stole second and took third on Hughes' groundout to place a runner on third with two outs. Stanfill, now playing left field, ran down a foul ball to end the inning.
Heidi Johnson powered a solo home run over the right field fence to tie the game a 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh to send the contest into extra innings.
In accordance to the international tiebreaker rule, the Cardinals started the eighth with Kristen Wadwell at second base. Bemis registered an RBI double to give Louisville a 2-1 lead.
The Trojans answered in the home half of the inning when Kala Moore started at second and scored on Hughes' single to knot the game at 2-2. Hughes took third on a passed ball to place the winning run on third with one out. Wadwell retired the next three batters to move into the ninth inning.
Louisville pulled ahead again in the ninth. Cunningham started at second, took third on Kaylyn Castillo's sacrifice bunt and scored when Colby Wherry reached on an error to make it a 3-2 game.
Johnson blasted her second home run of the game, a one-out, two-run shot over the right field fence the win.
Wadwell (2-2) took the loss, giving up four runs, two earned, on four hits and striking out four in 5.1 innings. Stanfill allowed one hit and struck out seven in 3.0 innings. Offensively, the Cards had four hits in the game with Bemis' 2 for 4 performance leading the way.
Ashlyn Williams (5-1) got the win, allowing three runs, only one earned on four hits and striking out two in nine innings. Johnson finished the game batting 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs. Hughes was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
In game two, North Florida capitalized on two home runs to take a 3-0 lead. The Cards scored a run in the fifth, but could not overcome the deficit, leaving nine runners on base.
The Ospreys took an early lead when Kacie McCloud reached on an error and Heather Hyde followed with a two-run shot over the left field fence to make it a 2-0 game in the bottom of the first.
Gwen Williams led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run over center field to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Cards got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth when Brooke McCrain led off with a single, Melissa Roth drew a two-out walk and Sarah Totten was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bemis walked to send McCrain home and make it a 3-1 game.
Louisville starter Mandi Rodriguez (1-1) took the loss, giving up two runs, one earned on two hits in two innings. Kassie Stanfill was strong in relief, surrendering one run on two hits and striking out seven in four innings. Offensively, the Cards had four hits in the game.
Tori Ahern (1-2) picked up the win, holding Louisville to one earned run on two hits in 4.2 innings of work. Devyn Findley got the save, tossing two scoreless innings. The Ospreys also had four hits in the game.
The Cardinals (4-4) will face Samford in the consolation game Sunday at noon (ET).
