University of Louisville
Akron
No. 14/15 Softball Defeats Akron 6-1
March 17, 2012 | Softball
March 17, 2012
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - - The No. 14/15 University of Louisville softball team defeated Akron 6-1 in the Sacramento State Capital Classic. The Cardinals (22-0) were leading host Sacramento State 4-3 in the middle of the fourth when the game was called due to rain. The game will not count in the overall stats.
Louisville 6 - Akron 1
The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when junior Jennifer Esteban led off with a single and stole second. Sophomore Taner Fowler walked and junior Alicja Wolny reached on a two-base error to send Esteban and Fowler home.
Louisville tacked on two more runs in the third. Senior Kristin Austin delivered an infield single and came home on sophomore Katie Keller's triple. Fowler's sacrifice fly brought Keller home to increase the lead to 4-0.
Wolny led off the bottom of the fifth with a shot over right center field for her fourth home run of the season to give the Cards a 5-0 advantage.
The sixth inning brought an unearned run for the Cards. Austin and Keller led off with back-to-back singles and an error allowed Austin to cross the plate, extending the lead to 6-0.
The Zips got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Katie Gross connected on a two-out pinch-hit double and scored on Cassie Gleisner's pinch-hit RBI single for the 6-1 final.
Caralisa Connell (7-0) went the distance to get the win, allowing one earned run on eight hits and striking out seven. Wolny was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Esteban, Austin each had two hits apiece Keller. Sophomore Maggie Ruckenbrod was 1 for 2 in her first extended appearance since suffering an injury in the opening weekend.
Louisville 4 - Akron 3 (called due to rain - does not count)
In Saturday's final game, the Cards were leading 4-3 in the middle of the fourth. Louisville took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Esteban delivered a leadoff single and Keller connected on a two-run home run.
Sacramento State answered in the bottom of the second when Alyssa Nakken was hit by a pitch and crossed the plate on Taylor's triple. Keli Frye's RBI single tied the game at 2-2
The Cardinals pulled ahead again with two runs in the third. Austin delivered a one-out single, stole second and crossed the plate on Keller's double. Sophomore Taner Fowler followed with an RBI hit to give the Cards a 4-2 lead.
The Hornets got a run back in the third when Emily McCormick singled and came around to score on Nakken's RBI hit to make the score 4-3. Louisville went scoreless in the top of the fourth before a steady rain started to fall and the game was called.
The Cards (22-0) will return to action on Tuesday when they play host to Ohio State at 5 p.m at Ulmer Stadium.
