University of Louisville
Ohio State
Softball Defeats Ohio State 9-1
March 20, 2011 | Softball
March 20, 2011
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - - The University of Louisville softball team used 11 hits and scored in every inning to defeat Ohio State 9-1 in five innings in the final game of the San Diego Classic II Sunday. The Cardinals compiled a 4-1 record on the weekend to clinch the tournament title.
Louisville (18-9) struck early with two runs in the bottom of the first. Katie Keller led off the first with a walk and Jennifer Esteban followed with a triple to give the Cards the game's first run. Colby Wherry followed with a fly ball into shallow centerfield to score Esteban, giving the Cards a 2-0 lead.
The Cards added another run in the second. Kristin Austin and Maggie Ruckenbrod connected on back-to-back singles and advanced on Hannah Kiyohara's sacrifice bunt. Katie Keller's RBI single made it a 3-0 game.
Wherry increased the lead to 4-0 when she led off the third by powering a shot over the left field fence for her third home run of the season. One out later, Alicja Wolny blasted her second homer of the season, a solo shot over center field to make the score 5-0.
The Cards took advantage of four hits and four walks to cap the scoring with four runs - all with two outs in the fourth. Wherry and Taner Fowler reached on back-to-back hits. Wolny's single plated Wherry. Austin walked to load the bases for Ruckenbrod's RBI single. A wild pitch sent Wolny home, and back-to-back walks to Kiyohara and Keller brought Austin across the plate for the final 9-1 tally.
Ohio State (7-17) got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Alicia Herron walked. Melissa Rennie ripped a double down the left field line for the Buckeye's first hit and run of the game.
Tori Collins (11-5) got the win, after allowing one earned run, scattering two hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings. Ruckenbrod went 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Cardinals. Wherry was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI and Wolny finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Kasie Kelly (3-4) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits in 1.0 inning.
U of L (18-9) will return to Ulmer Stadium to face in-state rival Kentucky Wednesday, March 23 at 6 p.m.
