University of Louisville
Villanova
Softball Splits with Villanova
April 05, 2008 | Softball
April 5, 2008
VILLANOVA, Pa. - The University of Louisville softball team split with BIG EAST opponent Villanova Saturday afternoon. The Cards won the first game 3-0 and lost the second 8-6 despite rallying from a four-run deficit. The loss snaps Louisville's seven game winning streak and marks their first conference defeat this year.
In game one, the Cards took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Sarah Totten delivered a one-out single. Chelsea Bemis and Colby Wherry walked to load the bases for Kassie Stanfill's two-run double.
Villanova threatened to score in the bottom of the second when Eryn Teague drew a leadoff walk and took second on Allie Hoen's single. Carolyn Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Louisville starting pitcher Kristen Wadwell struck out Christina Botkins to get two outs in the inning. A wild pitch to the back stop sent Teague toward the plate, but Louisville catcher Melissa Roth recovered the ball and teamed with Bemis to tag Teague out and end the inning.
Louisville tacked on a run in the fifth when Stanfill led off the frame with a single, moved to third when Christina Roesel reached on an error and scored on Wadwell's sacrifice fly to make it a 3-0 game.
Wadwell (9-7) got the complete game shutout win, scattering two hits and striking out four. Stanfill led the Cards at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a double, a run and two RBI.
In game two, the Cards rallied after being down 5-1, but it wasn't enough as Villanova scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the win.
Louisville jumped ahead in the first inning. Roth was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Stanfill's two-out RBI single to put the Cardinals on the board 1-0.
The Wildcats used four hits, a walk and a hit batter to erupt for five runs in the home half of the second. Eryn Teague walked, Allie Heon singled and Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Kristen Jelinski delivered a pinch hit bloop single to plate Teague and tie the game at 1-1. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Jackie Dempsey gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Danielle Maricle registered a two-out, two-run single and came home on Jessica Curtis' base hit to increase the lead to 5-1.
U of L got two runs back in the top of the third. Roth was hit by a pitch. Wherry and Stanfill walked to load the bases for Brittany York's sacrifice fly. A Villanova error allowed Roesel to reach and Wherry to cross the plate, making the score 5-3.
Villanova added another run in the bottom of the third. Teague reached on an error and Heon followed with a single. O'Boyle was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Stanfill got Brown to strike out for the first out of the inning. Wadwell entered the game and gave up a bloop single to Jelinsky score Heon. Wadwell retired the next two batters to end the inning with the score 6-3.
The Cards responded with three runs in the top of the fourth. Totten walked and scored on Roth's triple to right field. Bemis followed with her team-leading fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot over the left field fence to tie the game a 6-6.
The Wildcats regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Dempsey reached on a leadoff error and scored on Maricle's triple to right center to make it a 7-6 game. Maricle then crossed the plate on Teague's two-out RBI single to add an insurance run.
Wadwell (9-8) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. Stanfill started in the circle and surrendered six runs, five of them earned, on five hits and struck out four in 2.1 innings. The Cards had five hits and stranded seven runners.
Megan Hord (1-0) got the win, holding Louisville scoreless and giving up only one hit in 3.2 innings. Teague went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI. Jelinski was 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run. Maricle was 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs. Villanova moves to 12-13 (2-4 BIG EAST) on the season.
U of L (19-13, 5-1) will continue their conference road trip with a doubleheader at Rutgers on Sunday.
