University of Louisville
Rutgers
Softball Splits Rutgers Doubleheader
April 14, 2010 | Softball
April 14, 2010
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - - Senior catcher Melissa Roth's two-run homer in the top of the eleventh gave the No. 25 University of Louisville softball team a 6-4 win over host Rutgers Wednesday afternoon. The Cards fell 3-1 in the first game of the BIG EAST Conference doubleheader.
In the first game, the Scarlet Knights took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Mandy Craig led off with a double. Mikelyn Messina reached on an error and stole second to place two runners in scoring position for Kaci Madden's one-out RBI single, an error on the play sent Messina home.
The Cards got a run back in the fourth when Jordan Trimble reached on an error and came around to score on Chelsea Bemis' RBI single to make it a 2-1 game.
Rutgers added an insurance run in the sixth when Craig doubled, took second on Messina's sacrifice bunt and score on Jennifer Harabedian's RBI single.
Kristen Wadwell (13-8) took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out seven. Vanessa James, Bemis and Kristin Austin accounted for the Cards' hits.
Nicole Lindley (7-11) got the complete game win, surrendering one unearned run on three hits and striking out two. Craig and Madden were each 2 for 3 in the game.
In game two, Louisville struck early with a run in the first. Melissa Roth was hit by a pitch, moved to third on groundouts by James and Alicja Wolny and scored on Trimble's RBI single.
Melissa Roth drove her team-leading 13th home run of the season over the centerfield wall to give the Cards a 2-0 lead in the third.
Rutgers took advantage of three hits and an error to put up a four-spot in the bottom of the third. Mickenzie Alden led off with a single and an error on Lindsey Curran's sacrifice bunt placed runners at second and third for Ashley Bragg's RBI single. Brittney Lindley followed with a three-run shot over right center to give the Scarlet Knights a 4-2 lead.
The Cards answered in the top of the fourth when Wherry reached on an infield hit and Bemis followed with a double, both runners scored on Austin's two-run single to tie the game at 4-4.
Louisville had a chance to push runs across in the fifth when Roth was hit by a pitch and James and Wolny singled to load the bases with nobody out, but a force out at home and a double play ended the inning as the Cards stranded three runners.
With the game still tied at 4-4, the teams entered extra innings. U of L had a scoring opportunity in the eighth when Trimble connected on a leadoff double and moved to third on Wherry's sacrifice bunt. Rutgers' reliever Nicole Lindley retired the next two batters to end the threat.
Rutgers had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 10th when Bragg reached on an infield hit and proceeded to steal second. Lindley followed with a single. Centerfielder Kristin Austin fielded the ball and fired a strike to catcher Melissa Roth who tagged Bragg out at the plate to send the game into the 11th inning.
Jennifer Esteban led off the frame with a base hit and Roth followed with her second homer of the game and 14th of the season to give the Cards the 6-4 win.
Roth was 2 for 3 with three RBI and two home runs and was hit by a pitch three times in the game. Trimble and Wherry also had a pair of hits for the Cards who outhit the Scarlet Knights 13-9 on the game. Wadwell (14-8) got the win, allowing two hits in two innings of relief. Starter Tori Collins gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits and struck out eight in nine innings.
Lindley (7-12) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. Bragg paced the Scarlet Knights with a 3 for 5 performance and Brittney Lindley was 2-for-5 with a run and three RBI. Rutgers drops to 14-22 (2-5 BIG EAST).
Louisville (26-13, 5-3) will continue league play this weekend when the Cards play host to BIG EAST Conference leader Notre Dame in a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday. The teams will meet in a single game Sunday at noon at Ulmer Stadium.
