University of Louisville
North Carolina
Softball Drops Two at Jacksonville Softball Tournament
February 15, 2014 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2014
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The No. 23/25 University of Louisville softball team fell 6-3 to Notre Dame and 4-2 to North Carolina on day two of the Jacksonville Softball Tournament Saturday. The Cardinals (4-4) will wrap up the weekend against Notre Dame Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Notre Dame 6 - Louisville 3
In game one, Notre Dame (4-1) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Karley Wester registered a one-out single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout by Katey Haus and scored on Cassidy Whidden's infield hit.
The Cardinals answered in the top of the second when senior Taner Fowler lined a two-out shot over the left field fence to tie the score at 1-1.
Louisville used solo home runs by junior Brittany Duncan and Fowler to increase the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth. Duncan led off the frame by powering a shot over straight center field for her first homer of the season to put the Cards on top 2-1. Two outs later, Fowler delivered her second homer of the game over left center field to increase the lead to 3-1.
The Irish responded with four runs in the home half of the fourth when Chloe Saganowich and Jenna Simon registered back-to-back one-out singles and Emilee Koerner walked to load the bases for Wester's two-run hit which tied the score at 3-3. A two-run double by Katey Haus gave Notre Dame a 5-3 lead.
Notre Dame added a run in the bottom of the fifth when hits by Micaela Arizmendi and Saganowich delivered back-to-back hits and Koerner was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Another walk plated Arizmendi to make the score 6-3.
The Cards attempted to rally in the top of the seventh when freshman Rachel Houck drew a one-out walk and junior Kelsi Jones sent a shot over center field that would have pulled Louisville within a run, but Notre Dame centerfielder Emilee Koerner made a leaping catch to stop the potential home run and keep the score 6-3.
Fowler led the team at the plate, batting 2 for 3 with two home runs and two RBIs. Senior Caralisa Connell (2-2) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and striking out two in 3.1 innings. Freshman Maryssa Becker gave up one earned run on four hits and struck out two in 1.0 inning of relief and senior Rachel LeCoq held the Irish scoreless on one hit and fanned two in 1.2 innings.
North Carolina 4 - Louisville 2
In Louisville's second game of the day, the teams played through four scoreless innings before the Cardinals broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a single by Brittany Duncan and a walk to Katie Keller in the first, North Carolina pitcher Lori Spingola retired 10 consecutive batters before Taner Fowler sent a double to the left field fence. Kayla Soles stepped up to the plate and took the first pitch of her at bat over the left field fence to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
The Tar Heels (2-3) answered in the top of the sixth when Amber Parrish led off the frame with a single and Kati Causey followed with a home run over the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2.
UNC added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh when Aquilla Mateen and Amy Nece led off with back-to-back bunt singles and Jenna Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mateen was safe at the plate on Jill Ferraro's fielder's choice to give the Tar Heels a 3-2 lead. Nece crossed the plate when Causey reached on another fielder's choice for the 4-2 final.
Connell (2-3) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief. Rachel LeCoq gave up two earned runs on four hits and issued five walks while striking out five in 5.1 innings. Soles was 1 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the Cardinals at the plate.
Spingola (2-2) got the win after giving up two earned runs on three hits and striking out three in 5.0 innings. Lauren Batten picked up the save, surrendering one hit and striking out one in 2.0 innings. Causey paced the Tar Heels with a 1 for 2, three RBI performance in the game.
