University of Louisville
Seton Hall
Softball Splits with Seton Hall
March 29, 2009 | Softball
March 29, 2009
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The University of Louisville softball team defeated host Seton Hall 6-1 in the first game, but another seventh inning rally fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Pirates Sunday afternoon.
In the first game, Kristen Wadwell tossed a one-hitter and the Cards posted four home runs as the Cards rolled to a 6-1 win over the host Pirates.
In game one, the Pirates manufactured a run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Nalin Bennett reached on an error to start the inning and stole second. A two-out error allowed Leah Menichetti to reach and placed runners on the corners. Bennett was able to score Menichetti got caught in a rundown trying to steal second, the out was made, but the Pirates were on the board.
The Cards answered in the top of the fourth when Colby Wherry singled, took second on Kassie Stanfill's sacrifice bunt and came home on Kristi Cunningham's double off the top of the fence in left center.
Louisville took the lead in the fifth when Vanessa James and Melissa Roth started the inning with back-to-back home runs. James connected on her first homer of the season, a shot over the right field fence, and Roth went to the same spot with her fifth long ball of the year to make it a 3-1 game.
U of L added three more runs in the top of the seventh via back-to-back home runs again. Roth opened the frame with a double to center field to set up Chelsea Bemis' two-run shot over left field for her team-leading seventh homer of the season. Colby Wherry went opposite field when she followed with her second home run of the year, a solo shot to right field to increase the lead to 6-1.
Louisville starter Kristen Wadwell took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and had retired nine straight batters before Michelle Reed's leadoff single up the middle.
Wadwell (24-3) got the complete game win, allowing one unearned run on one hit and striking out two. Roth and Wherry each went 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI as the Cards hammered out 12 hits in the game.
Ashley Forsyth (5-6) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on 12 hits and striking out seven.
In game two, the Cards took a 2-1 lead, but found themselves down 6-2 after the Pirates put up five runs in the fifth. A seventh inning rally fell short as the Cards suffered their second conference loss in two days.
Seton Hall took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Nicole Loewenstein's two-out solo home run over right field.
The Cards responded with two runs in the top of the third. Roth led off with a single. Kristin Austin reached on a fielding error on her sacrifice bunt attempt. Both runners moved on Bemis' flyout to centerfield. Wherry was intentionally walked to load the bases for Stanfill's RBI single. Austin was thrown out at the plate while trying to score. Cunningham's base hit plated Wherry to give Louisville a 2-1 lead.
The Pirates threatened to score in the bottom of the fourth when a hit, an error and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Wadwell and the Cardinal defense got Loewenstein to line into a double play to get out of the jam.
Seton Hall did break through with five runs in the fifth. The offensive outburst started when Bennett delivered a leadoff double and scored on Christina Esposito's double to tie the game at 2-2. Michelle Reed singled to place two runners on for Brittany Schillizzi's go-ahead RBI single. Kaelin sent a two-out, three run home run to give the Pirates a 6-2 lead.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Cards put up three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but - like Saturday's loss to St. John's, left the tying run in scoring position to end the game. Roth registered a leadoff triple and scored on Austin's hit. Bemis followed with a single to place runners on the corners. Wherry's fielder's choice scored Austin to make it a 6-4 game. Cunningham's two-out RBI single brought home pinch runner Tesha Paysen to pull the Cards within a run. Christina Roesel beat the shortstop's throw for infield single to place the go-ahead runner on and the tying run at second. Seton Hall starter Kim Schweitzer got York to foul out to end the game.
Wadwell (23-5) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. Cunningham was 3 for 4 with two RBI. Roth, Austin and Roesel each had a pair of hits in the game.
Schweitzer (7-5) got the complete game win, giving up five runs, four earned, on 12 hits and striking out two. Reed led the Pirates offensively with a 3 for 3 performance at the plate. Seton Hall improves to 13-14 (4-4 BIG EAST).
U of L (29-5, 6-2) will travel to Lexington, Ky., to take on in-state rival Kentucky on Wednesday, April 1 at 5 p.m.
