University of Louisville
Michigan
Softball Falls in Heart-Breaking Fashion to Michigan
May 19, 2012 | Softball
May 19, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the second-straight day, the No. 7/9 University of Louisville softball team made the contest interesting all the way up to its conclusion.
Despite a 1-1 tie, Michigan's Caitlin Blanchard was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning to deliver the Wolverines a 2-1 victory in the second round of the Louisville regional on May 19 at Ulmer Stadium.
Ashley Lane gave the Wolverines (41-15) their first runner of the frame in the eighth after sending a one-out offering through the right side for a single. Two batters later, Amy Knapp's single to right field that allowed Lane to slide into third base safely on a close play. Knapp stole second uncontested, and Stephanie Kirkpatrick loaded the bases with a walk.
Chelsea Leonard, who provided the Cardinals (54-4) with a quality 2.1 innings of relief in the win Friday night, was only one out away from pulling Louisville out of the jam. However, in the first pitch of the at-bat, Leonard hit the left-handed Blanchard - inserted that inning as a pinch-hitter - to plate the winning run.
With the win, Michigan advances to Sunday's regional final that starts at 1 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium.
Louisville had an opportunity to end the game in regulation. In the top of the seventh inning, the Cardinals appeared as though their late-inning antics would come to fruition again. On the fourth pitch of the inning, Alicja Wolny blasted a double to the warning track in left center. Kristen Straley, inserted as a pinch runner, immediately moved to third following a wild pitch to Taner Fowler. After Fowler's line out to right, the first out of the inning, Jordan Trimble popped out to center field, but the shot was deep enough that it sent Michigan's Bree Evans backpedaling, allowing Straley to plate the tying run.
Louisville posed arguably its best threat earlier in the game. In the fourth, Kristin Austin drew a pinch-hit walk to lead off the inning. She moved to second following a wild pitch to provide Louisville with a scoring opportunity. Wolny's sharp grounder two batters later was too hot for shortstop Amy Knapp to handle, allowing Louisville runners on first and third base. Fowler and Trimble were unable to push Austin across the plate, though, as Fowler struck out swinging and Trimble popped out to second base.
The Wolverines struck first, scoring a run in the second inning. After Kirkpatrick reached on an error, she advanced to second, when Doyle drew a walk from Caralisa Connell. Evans then loaded the bases - Michigan's second-straight inning to put a runner on each base - on a fielder's choice. Sappingfield's sacrifice fly to Austin in right field plated Kirkpatrick to give Michigan the 1-0 lead.
Connell was given the starting nod for the Cardinals, as she went six strong innings, allowing just four hits and striking out one. Two of the hits she allowed came in the opening frame, and despite being faced with a bases loaded situation that inning, Connell was able to induce a ground ball to the end the threat.
Leonard, who pitched two-thirds of an inning, was credited with the loss and falls to 11-2 on the season.
The Cardinals return to action at 8 p.m. against the winner of the Kentucky-Valparaiso contest. The contest will be televised on ESPN and ESPN3.
