University of Louisville
Notre Dame
Softball Falls 8-5 to No. 24 Notre Dame
April 16, 2011 | Softball
April 16, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - - Lauren Stuhr's two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh give host 24th ranked Notre Dame an 8-5 win over the University of Louisville softball team. Game two of Saturday's doubleheader was cancelled due to inclement weather. U of L (31-12, 9-3) and Notre Dame (30-7, 6-0) will play a doubleheader at noon Sunday.
Junior Kristin Austin was 3-for-3 with her first career home run to lead the Cards offensively in a game that featured four home runs, five lead changes and one tie.
Notre Dame took an early lead on Heather Johnson's two-out home run in the bottom of the first. The Irish had a chance to increase the lead in the second when two walks and a two-out infield hit loaded the bases with two outs. Connell got Alexa Maldonado to ground out to shortstop Colby Wherry to end the threat.
The Irish added another run in the fourth when Erin Marrone led off with a single and came around to score on a double by Sadie Pitzenberger to make it a 2-0 game.
Louisville used three hits - including a two-run homer by Wherry - to score three runs in the fifth. Keller registered a leadoff single. Jennifer Esteban beat the throw for a bunt single and Keller moved to third on an error. Chelsea Bemis' sacrifice fly plated Keller to put the Cards on the scoreboard. Wherry followed with her fourth home run of the season - a two-out shot over centerfield - to give the Cards a 3-2 lead.
The lead was short-lived as Notre Dame scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Johnson and Dani Miller drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. Fleury's sacrifice bunt moved the runners for Amy Buntin's sacrifice fly which scored Johnson. Miller came home on an error on the play to give the Irish a 4-3 lead.
The Cards regained the lead on Kristin Austin's two-run shot in the sixth. Ruckenbrod drew a leadoff walk and was lifted for pinch-runner Katelyn Mann. Austin followed with her first career home run - a shot over the right field wall - to give Louisville a 5-4 lead.
Notre Dame answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Jorgensborg drew a leadoff walk and took second on Pitzensberger's single to place two runners on with no outs. Reliever Tori Collins entered the game and struck out the next two batters. Johnson delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.
A pair of two-out walks were issued to Marrone and Jorgensborg to set up Stuhr's walk-off homerun to give the Irish the 8-5 win.
Collins (12-6) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on two hits and striking out two in 1.2 innings of relief. Starter Caralisa Connell gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits in five innings. The Cards issued a season-high nine walks in the game. Wherry and Keller each had two hits in the game.
Laura Winter (17-3) got the complete game win, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and striking out five. Johnson led the Irish with a 3-for-3, two-run, two RBI performance at the plate. Pitzenberger was 3-for-3 with an RBI.
