University of Louisville
Charleston Southern
No. 15 Softball Edges Charleston Southern 2-1
February 19, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 19, 2010
The 15th ranked University of Louisville softball team edged host Charleston Southern 2-1 Friday in the Charleston Southern Tournament. The Cardinals (6-1) defeated St. John's 16-2 earlier in the day.
"We were pleased to get two wins today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I saw some great things from our team, but we also had to remind them that every opponent we face will elevate their game and we need to do the same in order to take care of business."
The game featured a pitcher's duel through five innings with Louisville starter Tori Collins scattering only two hits and Charleston Southern ace Kimberly Hobbs giving up three as the teams entered the sixth inning in a scoreless tie.
The Cards had a chance to push a run across in the fifth when Vanessa James led off the frame with a single and moved around to third on sacrifices by Alicja Wolny and Kristin Austin. Jordan Trimble hit the ball to the right side of CSU shortstop Megan Lombard who made an off-balance throw just beating Trimble out at first to stave off the initial Cardinal scoring opportunity.
Jennifer Esteban and Melissa Roth opened the sixth with back-to-back hits and Chelsea Bemis' RBI single put the Cards on the scoreboard, breaking the scoreless tie. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Colby Wherry brought Roth home to make it a 2-0 game.
The Bucs quickly got a run back when Lombard led off the home half of the sixth with a home run over the left field fence. Kristen Wadwell entered the game and retired the next five batters she faced to preserve the 2-1 win.
Collins (2-1) got the win, surrendering one earned run on three hits and fanning seven in five innings. Wadwell picked up her first save of the season with two strikeouts in two innings. Esteban paced the Cards offensively, going 2 for 4 with a run and a stolen base.
Hobbs (1-2) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in seven innings. Lombard, Jessica Peters-Brock and Megan Hall each had hits for Charleston Southern (4-3-1).
U of L (6-1) will face Youngstown State Saturday at 1:30.
