University of Louisville
Purdue
Softball Defeats Purdue 4-1 in NCAA Regional
May 16, 2009 | Softball
May 15, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - Junior catcher Melissa Roth went 3 for 3 and sophomore Colby Wherry drove in the eventual game-winning run as No. 18/19 University of Louisville softball team 4-1 win over Purdue in the first round of NCAA Regional action Friday evening. The Cards (48-9) will face No. 6/7 Arizona (42-14) in the winner's bracket Saturday at 10 a.m.
The Cards outhit the Boilermakers13-5, but Louisville starter Kristen Wadwell (41-8) escaped two bases-loaded jams en route to the win.
The teams played through two scoreless innings before the Cards broke through with a run in the third. Vanessa James led off with a single, stole second and took third on Roth's base hit. James crossed the plate safely on a double steal to put Louisville on the board.
Purdue's Katie Mitchell quickly evened the score when she led off the top of the fourth with a home run.
The Cards pulled ahead in the fifth when Kristin Austin singled and eventually came around to score on Wherry's base hit up the middle to make it a 2-1 game.
Purdue threatened in the sixth when two errors and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Wadwell retired the next three batters with two strikeouts and a foul out to get out of the jam.
Louisville tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth when Christina Roesel led off with a single, James registered a hit and Roth was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Austin's RBI single plated Roesel and James came home on a fielder's choice to increase the lead to 4-1.
The Boilermakers had one last opportunity to push runs across in the top of the seventh when two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out. With the go-ahead run at the plate in the form of Mitchell, who had already homered earlier in the game, Wadwell delivered a crucial strikeout for the second out of the inning. She then retired Jenna Alexander on a groundout to end the game.
"I was really pleased with our team's performance tonight because I think they really stepped up their play," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "This is something we talked about. This is something we needed to do, really stepping up their play because it is championship time. They certainly did that and every time Purdue did a great job at putting our back against the wall and our team did a tremendous job defending that. Kristen Wadwell certainly, even with the bases loaded somehow found a way to get it done. That has been crucial. If I have any criticism for my team tonight is that we only had 13 hits and only four runs. I would like to see a little more run production. But overall, they did a great job"
Wadwell notched her nation-leading 41st win, allowing one earned run on five hits and striking out seven. James was 2 for 3 with two runs and two stolen bases. Austin was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Roesel was 2 for 3 with a run.
Suzie Rzegocki (23-12) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on 13 hits and struck out two. Mitchell was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Purdue (29-19) will face UT Martin (38-23) Saturday at noon in an elimination game.
