University of Louisville
North Carolina
Softball Goes 2-0 in FIU Combat Classic
February 06, 2009 | Softball
Feb. 6, 2009
MIAMI - - The University of Louisville softball team opened the 2009 season with a 1-0 win over No. 18/21 North Carolina and a 5-1 victory over host FIU in the Florida International Combat Classic Friday evening.
The game featured a pitcher's duel through five scoreless innings with Louisville starter junior Kristen Wadwell limiting the Tarheels to one hit and striking out six and Lisa Norris holding the Cards to four hits with five strikeouts. Louisville broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore Chelsea Bemis reached on a fielder's choice and crossed the plate when senior Kristi Cunningham reached on a three-base error.
North Carolina threatened to score in the top of the seventh when Danielle Spaulding led off with an infield single and Brittany Robinson followed with a one-out hit. Brittany McKinney's groundout placed runners on second and third with two outs, but Wadwell got Alyssa Francona to ground out to end the game.
Wadwell picked up her first shutout of the season, allowing three hits and striking out seven in seven innings. The Cards had five hits in the game. Bemis went 1 for 2 with a double and a run.
Norris (0-1) gave up five hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts in six innings. This was also the season opener for the Tarheels.
In game two, the Golden Panthers jumped to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Katie Bell delivered a one-out hit, took second on Kim Rodriguez's groundout and moved to third on a wild pitch. Jessica Landau's two-out RBI single plated Bell.
Cunningham's home run over the centerfield wall gave the Cards a 3-1 lead in the fifth. Junior Melissa Roth doubled and Bemis drew a two-out walk to set up the three-run shot.
FIU threatened in the home half of the fifth when Jenny Welch doubled and stole third and Desiree Fink walked and stole second to place the tying run at the plate with two outs. Wadwell entered the game and struck out Bell to end the inning.
After allowing a run and three hits in the first two innings, freshman starting pitcher Tori Collins retired the next 10 batters until Welch's double in the fifth.
In the top of the seventh, Cunningham delivered her second homer of the game, a two-run shot that glanced off the glove of leftfielder Jenny Welch to give the Cards a 5-1 cushion. Bemis registered a two-out double to set up the score.
Cunningham led the Louisville offensively, going 3 for 4 with two home runs and five RBI. The Cardinals belted out 11 hits in the game. Bemis and Roth had two hits each. Collins picked up her first collegiate win, allowing one earned run on four hits and striking out one in 4.2 innings. Wadwell got the save, holding FIU scoreless and allowing one hit with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
Kasey Barrett (0-1) took the loss, giving up four earned runs on nine hits and striking out three in 6.2 innings of work.
"I was pleased with how the team came out and wasn't intimidated by North Carolina," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I'm also proud that we didn't let down against Florida International."
U of L (2-0) will face Texas A&M Corpus Christi (0-2) at 10 a.m. Saturday.
