University of Louisville
Jacksonville State
Softball Rolls Past Jacksonville State 12-0
May 21, 2011 | Softball
May 21, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Alicja Wolny and Colby Wherry both went 3-for-3 and combined for five RBIs as the University of Louisville shutout Jacksonville State 12-0 in an elimination game in the NCAA Tournament at Ulmer Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisville.
"I wish we would have had some of these hits earlier today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall, whose team fell 4-0 earlier in the day to No. 5/7 California. "One thing we saw our team do was immediately come out and attack."
U of L (37-19) scored a school NCAA tourney record 12 runs on 14 hits and committed no errors, with 10 different Cardinals getting hits. JSU had just one hit, by Kristin Graham, and committed three errors. The Gamecocks end their fourth straight NCAA appearance and season at 40-20.
"Caralisa Connell set a great tone from the start striking out the first batter right away," said Pearsall. "That's huge, once your pitchers come out and set a good tone and that does a lot for you not only defensively, but offensively. I am proud of what we did tonight as far as attacking."
U of L will play California Sunday at 2 p.m. and the Cardinals will need two wins with a second game scheduled at 4:30 if necessary in the double elimination format. The winner will advance to the Super Regional.
The Cardinals scored twice in the first inning when Jennifer Esteban singled, stole second and then scored on a two-out RBI double by Wolny. The next batter, Wherry, ripped a single to right to score Wolny but was stranded on base when Maggie Ruckenbrod grounded out to end the inning.
The Cards had an eight run second inning, all with two outs. With one out, Taner Fowler walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kristin Austin struck out for the second out before Katie Keller ripped a double. Esteban reached on an error by the shortstop and then scored on the next play when Chelsea Bemis singled and JSU shortstop Tess Echols committed a throwing error allowing Esteban to score. Wolny singled and advanced to second on the throw. Ruckenbrod got in on the action with a two-RBI single, and then advanced to second on a passed ball. The next batter, Hannah Kiyohara, reached on an error by the third baseman, advanced to second and, after a single by Fowler, scored on a single by Austin. Keller grounded out to finally end the inning. In all, the Cardinals had eight runs on seven hits and chased two JSU pitchers as the Gamecocks committed three errors.
The Gamecocks went down in order in the top of the third inning for a short respite before the Cardinals hung a pair of runs on the third JSU pitcher, Hilary Phillips. With one out, Bemis drew a walk and advanced to second on a single by Wolny before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Wherry ripped a two-run double but was left on base as Phillips retired the next two Cardinal batters.
Freshman Cardinal hurler Caralisa Connell (20-7) pitched five innings of shutout ball for the win striking out six batters before the Cardinal offense run-ruled the Gamecocks. She is just the second Cardinal freshman to pitch a shutout in an NCAA tournament game.
JSU starter Tiffany Harbin was saddled with the loss, giving up four runs, all earned, in 1.2 innings of work, dropping her record to 25-11.
