University of Louisville
MICHIGAN
Softball Stumbles in Red & Black Classic
March 13, 2010 | Softball
March 13, 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville softball team fell 2-1 to Hofstra and 9-5 to No. 5 Michigan in the Red & Black Classic Saturday afternoon.
"This was a very uninspired performance by our team today, on all levels," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "You just can't come out against quality teams like Hofstra and Michigan and not play your best game."
In the opening game, Hofstra jumped to a 2-0 lead and held on to defeat the Cards 2-1. The Pride wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with two runs in the first. Kris Root drew a leadoff walk and Michelle DePasquale followed with a hit. Laura Valentino and Jess Hirschbuhl delivered back-to-back RBI singles.
The Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Kristin Austin singled, took second on a passed ball and scored on Vanessa James' RBI single to make it a 2-1 game. James took second on a wild pitch to place the tying run in scoring position with one out, but Hofstra's Olivia Galati struck out the next to batters to get out of the inning.
Galati (5-1) got the win, allowing one unearned run on three hits and striking out eight in seven innings. Hirschbuhl and DePasquale each had a pair of hits for the Pride (10-2).
Kristen Wadwell (6-4) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on seven hits and striking out six in seven innings.
In the game against Michigan, the Cards took a 5-0 lead through two innings, but could not hang on as the fifth-ranked Wolverines scored nine unanswered runs.
Louisville got on the scoreboard early with two runs in the first. Melissa Roth reached on a bunt single and scored on Kristin Austin's triple. James singled to send Austin home.
The Cards added three more in the second when Brittany York reached on an error and Katelyn Mann singled to set up Jordan Trimble's three-run shot that bounced off the scoreboard in left center to give Louisville a 5-0 lead.
The Wolverines answered with four runs in the top of the third. Angela Findlay doubled, took second on Maggie Viefhaus' base hit and came home when Roya St. Clair reached on an error. Dorian Shaw walked to load the bases for Nikki Nemitz's three-run double, which made it a 5-4 game.
Michigan used three hits and an error to put up another four-spot in the fifth. Nemitz delivered a one-out single and moved to third on Stephanie Kirkpatrick's double. Molly Bausher's fielder's choice loaded the bases. Bree Evans walked to score Nemitz and Findlay followed with a two-run single. An error sent Evans home to give the Wolverines an 8-5 lead.
Nemitz drove in her fourth run of the game in the sixth when her sacrifice fly plated Shaw, who had doubled and moved to third on Amanda Chidester's single.
Kristen Wadwell (6-5) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on five hits and striking out two in 3.0 innings of relief. Starter Chelsea Leonard surrendered four runs, two earned, on six hits and struck out four in 4.0 innings. Roth was 2 for 4 with a run.
Jordan Taylor (10-1) went the distance to get the win, giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits and fanning 11. Nemitz paced the Wolverines (15-4) with a 3 for 3, four RBI performance at the plate. Findlay was 2 for 3 with two RBI.
U of L (15-7) will face Hofstra at 2 p.m. and Michigan at 4 p.m. Sunday.
