University of Louisville
Connecticut
Connecticut Sweeps Cards 4-2 and 8-7
May 03, 2008 | Softball
May 3, 2008
STORRS, Conn. - - Host Connecticut defeated the visiting University of Louisville softball team 4-2 and 8-7 Saturday in a BIG EAST doubleheader. The Cards fall to 29-20 on the season and 12-8 in league play.
In game one, the Huskies jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Allie Gendron reached on an error, Danielle Del Ponte was safe on a fielder's choice and both runners scored on Micah Truax's two-run double.
The Cardinals answered in the top of the fifth. Kristi Cunningham led off the frame with a solo shot over the left field fence to make it a 2-1 game. Sarah Totten doubled to right field and came home on Chelsea Bemis' RBI double to knot the score at 2-2.
UConn regained the lead on Del Ponte's two-run homer in the home half of the inning. Gendron registered a two-out single to set up Del Ponte's shot over the centerfield fence.
Louisville starting pitcher Kristen Wadwell (17-12) took the loss, giving up four runs, three of them earned, on six hits and striking out two in six innings. The Cardinals had nine hits in game, led by Totten's 3 for 4 performance at the plate.
UConn's Tricia Sullivan (14-10) got the win, allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts in seven innings. Truax went 3 for 3 with an RBI to lead the Huskies offensively.
Game two featured a rollercoaster of lead exchanges and comebacks for both teams. The Card built an a 3-0 through the first four and a half innings. UConn scored two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to make it a 6-3 game going into the seventh. U of L used four hits, including Kristi Cunningham's two-run homer to score four runs and take a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. The Huskies capitalized on an RBI single and a two-out bases-loaded walk to cap the scoring with an 8-7 win.
Cunningham's solo shot in the top of the third gave the Cards a 1-0 lead.
U of L added another run in the fourth. Chelsea Bemis led off with a double and was lifted for pinch runner Missy Vascil who took third on Kassie Stanfill's single and came home on an error on the play to make it a 2-0 game.
Melissa Roth blasted a two-out solo home run over the centerfield fence in the fifth, increasing the lead to 3-0.
The Huskies answered in the bottom of the fifth when Gendron was hit by a pitch, moved to third on Del Ponte's double and scored on Truax's RBI double. Pinch runner Liz Gallinaro came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sarah Neuschwander to pull UConn within a run. The Huskies put up a four-spot in the sixth, using Erin Burtner's RBI single, Ortega's RBI double and Gendron's two-run triple to take a 6-3 lead into the top of the seventh.
Louisville mounted a furious comeback, scoring four runs with two outs in the inning. Kaylyn Castillo got things started when she reached on an infield single. Cunningham followed with her second home run of the game - and third of the day - to pull the Cards within a run. Roth walked and Totten singled. Bemis' RBI single tied the game at 6-6. Colby Wherry walked to load the bases. Brittany York's walk plated Totten to give the Cards a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Huskies staged their own comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Truax drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Julianne Towers' RBI single, evening the score at 7-7. Burtner and Roy drew consecutive walks to load the bases for Meghan Tierney's walk which scored Towers for the 8-7 win.
Kassie Stanfill (10-7) took the loss, surrendering two earned runs on two hits in one inning. Starter Kristen Wadwell gave up six earned runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings. The Cards had nine hits in the game. Cunningham led Louisville going 3 for 4 with two home runs with three RBI. Chelsea Bemis was 2 for 4 with a double two RBI.
Kristina Tolles (4-0) got the win, giving up five earned runs on six hits in three innings. Truax went 3 for 3 with a run and an RBI. UConn improves to 27-21 (13-7 BIG EAST).
U of L will close the season with a doubleheader at Providence Sunday.
