Cards Outlast Virginia 6-5 in Eight Innings
February 15, 2009 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2009
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - - Colby Wherry's RBI double in the bottom of the eighth lifted the University of Louisville softball team to a 6-5 win over Virginia Sunday morning in Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. The Cards finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, with their only loss a 3-2 decision to No. 5/6 Michigan.
"I was really proud of the way our team responded with their backs against the wall," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "They came back and did what they had to do to get the win. This is the first time this season that we've been tied in the late innings and I was pleased with the way we handled the situation. "
The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead on Chelsea Bemis' two run shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the first. Melissa Roth led off the inning with a single to set up the score.
Virginia got a run back in the second when Clara Kendall doubled and scored on Abby Snyder's single to make it a 2-1 game.
Louisville batted around to score three in the second. Kassie Stanfill led off with a hit and was sacrificed to second by Tori Collins. She moved to third on a ball-four wild pitch to Colby Wherry. Vanessa James singled Stanfill home. An error on the play allowed pinch runner Megan Bivins to score and sent James to third. Roth's single plated James as the Cards took a 5-1 lead after two innings.
The Cavaliers pulled within two in the top of the third when Giannina Cippolini drew a two-out walk and Carly Winger followed with a two-run homer to make it a 5-3 game.
UVA rallied to tie the game with two unearned runs in the fifth. Allison Pittman led off with a single, Cipolloni reached safely on a bunt single and Winger walked to load the bases with no outs. A Cardinal error allowed Pittman and Cipolloni to score and make it a 5-5 game. Louisville starting pitcher Kristen Wadwell retired the next three batters to halt the scoring.
The contest remained tied through the next two innings, sending the teams into the International Tiebreaker, in which a runner is placed at second to start the inning. Virginia had the first chance to score when Kendall was placed and second and moved to third on Snyder's sacrifice bunt. But Wadwell and the Cardinal defense got the next to batters to foul out and moved into the home half of the eighth..
Pinch runner Patrika Barlow was placed at second to start the inning. Wherry stepped up to the plate and hammered a shot that fell in for a double down the left field line, scoring Barlow and giving the Cards their ninth win of the season.
Wadwell (6-1) got the complete game win, allowing five runs, three earned and surrendering a season-high eight hits while striking out six. Offensively the Cards outhit the Cavaliers 9-8. Roth and Stanfill each went 2 for 3 at the plate.
Virginia's Stephanie Coates (1-1) was strong in relief, but took the loss after giving up one unearned run on three hits in 5.0 innings. Starter Karla Wilburn had surrendered five runs, four earned, gave up six hits and struck out two in 2.0 innings. The Cavaliers drop to 6-4 on the season.
Louisville is back in action Feb. 20-22 at USF's The Game Tournament in Tampa, Fla. The Cards will face Florida A&M Friday at 1:30 p.m.
