University of Louisville
MIAMI (OH)
No. 21 Softball Tops Miami (Ohio) 9-1
February 27, 2009 | Softball
Feb. 27, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The No. 21/23 University of Louisville softball team defeated Miami (Ohio) 9-1 in five innings in their home opener and the first game of the Red & Black Tournament Friday.
"I was very pleased with how we played today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "It is good to finally be home and still continue to play as well as we have on the road."
The Cards jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Kristin Austin delivered a hit, took second on Chelsea Bemis' walk and scored on Kristi Cunningham's RBI single.
Colby Wherry led off the second with a solo home run to make it a 2-0 game.
Louisville put up three runs on the third. Brittany York reached on a fielder's choice and Kristen Wadwell and Colby Wherry drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Vanessa James' base hit plated York and Melissa Roth followed with a two-run single to increase the lead to 5-0.
Sarah Billstrom connected on a two-out solo home run over the centerfield fence in the top of the fourth to put the RedHawks on the scoreboard and make the score 5-1.
The Cardinals tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth. Bemis drew a one out walk and Cunningham's single put two runners on for Kassie Stanfill's RBI double. Cunningham crossed the plate on York's groundout to make it a 7-1 game.
In the fifth inning, James registered a hit and Patrika Barlow reached on a fielder's choice to set up Cunningham's two run single, giving Louisville the 9-1 win via the eight-run rule.
Wadwell (9-2) picked up the win, allowing one earned run while scattering two hits and fanning five in five innings. Cunningham's 3 for 4, three RBI performance led the way as Louisville tied a season-high for hits with 13. Austin, Stanfill, Wherry and James each had two hits on the day.
Miami's Jessica Simpson (2-4) took the loss, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings of work. Billstrom was responsible for the RedHawks only two hits in the game. Miami drops to 4-6 on the season.
U of L (13-2) will continue play in the Red & Black Tournament on Saturday when they face IUPUI at 1 p.m. and Western Illinois at 3 p.m.
