Softball Set to Host Home Opening Red & Black Tournament
February 24, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 24, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
The University of Louisville softball team will open the home season this weekend with the Red & Black Tournament at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards (5-5) will face SIU-Edwardsville (3-6) at 1 p.m. and Boston University (0-0) at 3 p.m. Friday. Saturday's Cardinal softball action continues against Wright State (4-0) at noon. The Cards will wrap up the tournament Sunday agains Miami (Ohio) (3-2) at 2 p.m. and Wright State at 4 p.m.
Red & Black Tournament Schedule
Friday, Feb. 25
11:00 Boston University vs. SIUE
1:00 Louisville vs. SIUE
3:00 Louisville vs. Boston University
5:00 Miami (Ohio) vs. Wright State
Saturday, Feb. 26
10:00 Boston University vs. Wright State
12:00 Louisville vs. Wright State
2:00 Miami (Ohio) vs. Boston University
4:00 Miami (Ohio) vs. SIUE
Sunday, Feb. 27
10:00 Miami (Ohio) vs. SIUE
12:00 Wright State vs. SIUE
2:00 Louisville vs. Miami (Ohio)
4:00 Louisville vs. Wright State
About Louisville
The Cardinals enter the Red & Black Tournament with a 5-5 record. Louisville is led by sophomore left fielder Jennifer Esteban who carries a .406 batting average, a team-best seven runs and is 6-for-6 in stolen bases. Sophomore Jordan Trimble follows, batting .357 with seven runs and three doubles. Sophomore Alicja Wolny rounds out the top three hitters with a .345 average, three doulbes and six RBI.
Junior Tori Collins (3-3, 5.36 ERA) and freshman Caralisa Connell (1-1, 3.36 ERA) have combined for 52 strikeouts, one shutout and two saves in 57.2 innings of work.
Cards Against the Field
Boston University
Series: This weekend will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams
Scouting the Terriers: Boston University, the two-time defending America East Conference champion, was a unanimous pre-season No. 1 selection in the conference. The Terriers are led by senior outfielder April Setterlund who has been named to the National Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. As the 2010 America East Player of the Year, she ranked fifth in the nation in batting average (.482) and fifth in on-base percentage (.579). She also set six school records during the 2010 season including batting average, hits (80), doubles (19), runs (63), RBI (52), and slugging percentage (.861).
The Red and Black Tournament will mark the start of Boston's 2011 season.
Miami (Ohio)
Series: Louisville leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2009 - Louisville defeated Miami 9-1 at Ulmer Stadium. Scouting the Red Hawks: Miami (Ohio) has posted a 3-2 record thus far in the 2011 season. In their last outing they fell to 4-1 to Notre Dame in the championship game of the UCF Courtyard by Marriott Invitational.
The Red Hawks are the preseason favorites to win the Mid-American Conference East division and the MAC tournament. They return seven starters from last year's team who finished with a 33-24 overall record and a 14-8 conference record. Among those returners are senior Meghan Mawn and juniors Daniela Torres and Jessica Simpson. Mawn was a 2010 MAC first team selection, while Torres and Simpson were second team selections.
In Miami's opening tournament, Simpson pitched 26 innings for a 2.15 ERA and a 2-2 record.
SIU- Edwardsville
Series: This weekend will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams. Scouting the Cougars: SIUE has compiled a 3-6 record for the 2011 season. In their last outing, they went 1-3 in the Louisville Slugger Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. There the Cougars outhit UCLA and took the game to extra innings before falling to the nation's No. 1 team. During the invitational, SIUE also fell to No. 3 Tennessee and Long Beach State.
The Cougars, who are picked for a fourth place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference, are led by senior pitcher Erika Taylor. Taylor has posted a 1-4 record thus far with a 3.76 ERA in 31.2 innings pitched. Also leading SIUE is senior shortstop Kasey Schlafke, the team leader in runs (5) and homeruns (1).
Wright State
Series: Louisville leads 1-0
Last Meeting: March 4, 2006 - Louisville downed Wright St. 10-1 in a neutral site game.
Scouting the Raiders: Wright State is coming off of a championship victory at the Belmont/Hampton Inn - Brentwood tournament. There the Raiders went 4-0, beating IUPUI, Austin Peay (twice) and Belmont.
The Raiders are led by senior Justine Shilt who has already hit three home runs in the team's four games. Wright State will also look to senior Louie Haney, an infielder/pitcher who led the league in hits in 2010. Haney was named to the 2010 All-Horizon League first team.
Wright State, picked to finish third in the Horizon League, was a 2010 NCAA regional team. During their NCAA tournament stint, the Raiders beat Illinois State 10-8 for their second ever victory in the NCAA championship.
Cardinal Quick Hits
• Four of the Cards' five losses have come to teams ranked in the top 15: twice to No. 15 Texas and No. 3/7 Alabama.
• Senior Colby Wherry started the season on a seven game hitting streak and has reached in nine of the Cards' 10 games via a hit or a walk.
• Sophomore Jennifer Esteban is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases this season and is currently on streak of 19 perfect attempts dating back to Feb. 28 5-3 win over Northern Illinois.
• Chelsea Bemis is now second on the career RBI list with 147. She needs 27 to tie Courtney Moore's mark of 174.
Up Last
The Cardinals posted a 2-3 record last weekend at the 2011 `Bama Bash. Louisville opened the tournament with a 3-2 loss to Syracuse in a non-conference game. The Cards also absorbed two losses to third-ranked host Alabama (9-2 and 9-8), but came away with a pair of wins over UT-San Antonio, including a 7-3, 10 inning victory in the final game of the weekend.
Bemis and Esteban Earn All-'Bama Bash Honors
Chelsea Bemis and Jennifer Esteban were named to the `Bama Bash All-Tournament team. Bemis posted a .462 batting average (6-for-13) a home run, three doubles, two runs and three RBI. She also had a .923 slugging percentage and a .588 on-base percentage.
Esteban batted .444 (8-for-18) with three stolen bases, three runs and three RBI. She also had a .474 on-base percentage.
