University of Louisville
EVANSVILLE
Cards Trump Aces 5-4
April 29, 2008 | Softball
April 29, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - Sophomore Brittany York went 3 for 4, and drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh as the U of L softball team edged Evansville 5-4 Tuesday evening at Ulmer Stadium. Senior Sarah Totten scored the winning run after her RBI single tied the game.
The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore Melissa Roth delivered her 20th double on the year, tying a school record for single season doubles. Totten was beat the throw on an infield single to set up freshman Colby Wherry's two-run double.
The Aces answered with four runs, three of them unearned, in the top of the second. Kristen Shirk was hit by a pitch and took second on Amanda Ockomon's base hit. Laura Rather's two-out RBI single put Evansville on the board and placed runners on the corners. Jamie Lindauer was hit by a pitch. A Cardinal error allowed Krista Price reach and Rather to score the tying run. Brittany Herald's two-run single gave Evansville a 4-2 lead.
Louisville got a run back in the home half of the fourth when York registered a one-out single, moved to second on senior Skye Miller's sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on Kristi Cunningham's two-out RBI single, cutting the lead to 4-3.
Evansville threatened to push more runs across the plate in the fifth when Rather and Price registered back-to-back singles and Lindauer walked to load the bases with two outs. U of L starter Kristen Wadwell got Herald to fly out to end the inning.
The Cards entered the bottom of the seventh down 4-3. Cunningham ripped a leadoff double to start the inning and Roth was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second. Totten's base hit plated Cunningham to tie the game. Freshman Chelsea Bemis, Louisville's RBI leader, stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third, but she was also intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Wherry's grounder to the shortstop saw Roth out at home and Brooke McCrain popped up to short to bring York to the plate with two outs, the bases loaded and the game tied at 4-4. York fired an infield single to third base, sending Totten home for the 5-4 win.
Wadwell (17-11) notched her fourth consecutive complete game win, surrendering four runs, only on earned, on seven hits and striking out four. The Cardinals had 10 hits in the game - in addition to York's 3 for 4 performance, Totten went 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI in her final regular season home game. Cunningham finished 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.
Jennifer McKee (9-2) took the loss, giving up two earned run on four hits and striking out one in 2.2 innings of relief. Starter Ashley Hobbs allowed three runs, two earned on six hits with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Rather was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Evansville drops to 22-20 on the season.
"I'm glad that we could send our seniors out with a win in their last home game," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Sarah Totten has been integral part of this program - we will miss her. Skye Miller is also hard worker and a great player to coach. I'm grateful for all the things she has done to help make this program successful."
U of L (28-18) will travel to Richmond, Ky., to face in-state opponent Eastern Kentucky (26-18) on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
