University of Louisville
UIC (IU Classic)
Louisville Softball Splits at IU Softball Classic
March 21, 2008 | Softball
March 21, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The University of Louisville softball team split on the opening day of the Indiana University Softball Classic. The Cards fell 8-4 to Illinois-Chicago, but rebounded to beat host Indiana 9-3 in the second.
In game one, UIC took advantage of three home runs, including a grand slam, six walks and two Louisville errors to score eight runs. The Cards rallied for four runs, but could not dig out of an early 7-0 deficit.
Sarah Clynes took the first pitch of the ballgame over the right field fence to give the Flames a 1-0 lead. Three straight two-out walks loaded the bases for Melissa Marinacci's grand slam which made it a 5-0 game.
The Flames added a run in the second when Clynes walked, Ashlee Ackerman followed with a hit and Alicia Abbot singled to load the bases with one out. A Cardinal error sent Clynes home to increase the lead to 6-0.
Marinacci's lead-off homer in the third gave the Flames a 7-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, the Cardinals finally got on the scoreboard when Kristi Cunningham registered a one-out single and Melissa Roth and Sarah Totten were hit by pitches to load the bases. Chelsea Bemis reached on a fielder's choice and an error on the play allowed Cunningham and Roth to score to make it a 7-2 game.
U of L put up two more runs in the fifth when Totten walked and Bemis delivered her second home run of the year, a two-run shot over left field to pull the Cards within three runs.
UIC tacked on another run in the top of the seventh when Brooke Frydendall, Stephanie Chavez and Brittany Dixon each singled to load the bases with one out. Clynes reached on a fielder's choice which saw Frydendall out at home, but a Louisville error on a double play attempt allowed Chavez to score, increasing the lead to 8-4.
The Cards had a chance to push runs across in the bottom of the seventh. Totten singled. Bemis and Rebecca Saksefski were hit by pitches to load the bases with one out and brought the tying run to the plate. UIC reliever Whitney Orelanna got Kassie Stanfill to fly out to shallow right field. Wadwell stepped up and rifled a shot toward left field that looked like it would be a hit, but shortstop Brooke Frydendall made a leaping stab to end the scoring threat and the game.
Louisville starter Kassie Stanfill (4-4) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on two hits with one strikeout in the first. Wadwell surrendered three runs, two earned, on seven hits and struck out four in 6.1 innings. The Cards had four hits in the game.
UIC's Sarah Clynes (5-10) got the win, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits in 6.1 innings. The Flames had nine hits in the game, led by Marinacci's 2 for 3, two home run, five RBI performance. UIC moves to 8-18 on the season.
In game two, the Cardinals fell behind 2-0 in the first two innings, but pounded out a season-high 13 hits and used an eight-run sixth en route to a 9-3 win over host Indiana.
The Hoosiers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Julia Hamilton reached on a leadoff hit. An error on Jennifer Glueckert's sacrifice bunt sent Hamilton home. Brittany Devitt's base hit placed runners on the corners. Glueckert was out at the plate on suicide squeeze attempt and the Cards got Stephanie Pellerito to ground out the end the inning.
Indiana added another run in the second. Kelli Ritchison reached on a one-out error, Julie DiNallo singled and both runners moved on Hamilton's sacrifice bunt. Richison crossed the plate on Gluekert's infield hit to increase the lead to 2-0.
The Cards got a run back in the third when Brittany York led off the frame with a double, took third on Kristi Cunningham's bunt single and scored on Melissa Roth's sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game.
Louisville capitalized on six hits, two walks and an error to erupt for eight runs in the top of the sixth. Colby Wherry walked and was lifted for pinch-runner Missy Vascil who moved to third on Kassie Stanfill's double. Kaylyn Castillo's RBI single plated Vascil to tie the game at 2-2. Roesel singled and stole second. A throwing error on the play sent Castillo home to give the Cards a 4-2 lead. Cunningham delivered a two-out RBI double to make it a 5-2 game. Roth walked and Totten followed with an RBI single to place two runners on for Bemis' second homer of the day, a three-run shot over left field to make it a 9-2 game.
The Hoosiers threatened in the home half of the inning. Ritchison singled, DiNallo doubled and Hamilton walked to load the bases with one out. Louisville's Stanfill retired the next two batters to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the seventh Brittany Devitt reached on a two-base error, took second on Tori Yamaguchi's wind-aided double, and scored on Kari Bettenbrock's sacrifice fly to give the Hoosiers another run and make it a 9-3 game.
Stanfill (5-4) got the win in relief, giving up one unearned run and striking out six in 4.0 innings. Starter Kristen Wadwell allowed two unearned runs on four hits with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Offensively, the Cardinals belted out a season-high 13 hits. Cunningham was 2 for 2 with a double, a run and an RBI. York was 2 for 3 with a double and a run. Totten was 2 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
U of L (13-12) will face Illinois-Chicago at 2 p.m. and Indiana at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
