University of Louisville
PITTSBURGH
Cards Split Pittsburgh Twinbill
April 13, 2008 | Softball
April 13, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville softball team split a doubleheader, defeating Pittsburgh 11-4 and falling 8-0 in the second game in a BIG EAST matchup Sunday at Ulmer Stadium. U of L moves to 23-15 and 9-3 in league play while Pitt is now 21-17 (7-5).
The teams battled through unfavorable weather conditions including cold, wind and intermittent rain throughout both games. In game one, the Cards rallied from a 4-0 first-inning deficit, scoring 11 unanswered runs to defeat the Panthers 11-4.
Pitt capitalized on the cold and soggy field conditions to score four runs in the first. The Panthers demonstrated why they are first in the league in stolen bases when they stole seven in the first inning. Reba Tutt led off the game with a single and took second on Ashley Amistade's sacrifice bunt and scored on Jessica Dignon's RBI single. Dignon took second on the throw and a Louisville error sent her to third. Sam Card walked to place runners on the corners. Both runners were safe on a double steal to make the score 2-0. Sam Hecker was hit by a pitch and another double steal plated Card. Hecker stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Megan Livesey walked and both runners stole put the Cardinals down 4-0.
U of L got two runs back in the bottom of the first. Melissa Roth led off with a triple and Sarah Totten drew a walk to set up Kassie Stanfill's two-run triple to make it a 4-2 game.
The Cards used five hits and a walk to put up a four-spot in the third and take a 6-4 lead. Totten walked and scored on Bochenski's one-out triple. Chelsea Bemis followed with an RBI single and scored on Brittany York's base hit to put the Cardinals up by a run. Kaylyn Castillo delivered a hit and Kristi Cunningham registered a two-run single.
Louisville tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Kristen Wadwell singled and Cunningham was safe on a fielder's choice. Roth was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Totten's hit which plated pinch runner Missy Vascil. Bochenski singled to score Roth and Bemis' three-run triple to right field made it an 11-4 game.
Wadwell (12-9) got the win, giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits and striking out five in seven innings. Bemis was 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a run. Totten was 1 fofr 3 with three runs and an RBI. Bochenski finished the game batting 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Cory Berliner (12-8) took the loss and was tagged for 11 earned runs and gave up 12 hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
After tying a season-high run tally in the first game, the Cardinal offense was stymied by Kayla Zinger in game two of the twinbill. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, had no problem getting offensive production, using nine hits, nine walks and three hit batters to roll to an 8-0 win.
The Panthers opened the scoring in the third when Dignon led off with a double and scored on Hecker's base hit. A Cardinal fielding miscue allowed Hecker to cross the plate to make it a 2-0 game.
A three-run fourth inning was highlighted by Dignon's two-run triple and she crossed the plate on a double steal for the 5-0 lead. Tutt walked and Amistade singled to set up Dignon's RBIs.
Dignon struck again in the sixth when she doubled and scored on Cards' base hit. Card stole third and came home when Megan Livesey reached on a fielder's choice.
Dignon also scored the final run of the game in the seventh when she was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Card' triple for the 8-0 final.
The Cardinals had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard when Cunningham led off the sixth with a triple, but Zinger retired the next three batters to preserve the shutout.
Zinger (9-8) got the complete-game shutout win, scattering three hits in seven innings and fanning four batters. She had a no-hitter going through four innings before York's one-out single in the fifth broke it up. Dignon was 3 for 3 with four runs and two RBI. Amistade and Card each had two hits.
U of L starter Kassie Stanfill (9-5) took the loss, giving up five runs, four of them earned, on six hits and striking out seven in 4.0 innings. Wadwell surrendered three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts. York, Colby Wherry and Cunningham each had a hit.
"I think was an ugly day for both teams in terms of pitching," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "But we have to give credit to Pittsburgh's Kayla Zinger, who threw a great game in the second game. We can't put 12 people on base and expect to win ballgames."
U of L (23-15, 9-3) will continue BIG EAST action on Saturday, April 19 when they play a doubleheader against Notre Dame at noon. The first game of the doubleheader will be televised by CBS College Sports. On Sunday, the Cardinals will play host to DePaul at noon. The first game of that doubleheader will be televised by ESPNU.
