University of Louisville
USF
Softball Sweeps No. 25 USF
April 05, 2014 | Softball
April 5, 2014
"It was great to get two wins today," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "USF is a very tough team, especially at home. Our team really dug in and battled. We made the plays we had to, we got the hits when we needed to and our pitchers did a great job on the mound today."
Louisville 5 - USF 1
Katie Keller was 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and Maryssa Becker struck out eight in a complete-game effort as the Cards defeated No. 25 USF 5-1.
After two scoreless innings, USF (29-10, 3-2) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. D'Anna Devine drew a leadoff walk and stole second with Kristin Wyckoff struck out. Juli Weber followed with an RBI single to score the first run of the game.
Louisville answered in the top of the sixth when Keller delivered a one-out hit and Brittany Duncan walked to place two runners on. One out later, pinch-runner Paige Alford was safe at second when Maryssa Becker reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Kayla Soles stepped up to the plate sent a two-run single to centerfield to give the Cards a 2-1 lead.
The Cards extended their lead to 5-1 courtesy of Katie Keller's three-run homer in the top of the seventh. Kelsi Jones drew a one-out walk and Whitney Arion followed with a single to place two on for Keller who took a 1-2 count pitch over the left field fence for her second home run of the season.
Becker (9-3) got the win, allowing one earned run on six hits and fanning eight in 7.0 innings. Soles went 2 for 3 with two RBIs while Arion was 2 for 4 with a run to help lead the Cards at the plate. The win snapped a season-high four game losing streak for UofL.
Sara Nevins (17-5) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on three hits and striking out nine in 5.2 innings of work. Stephanie Medina went 2 for 3 at the plate and Weber was 1 for 4 with an RBI.
Louisville 3 - USF 0
In game two, Louisville jumped to an early lead when Kelsi Jones led off the game with a double, Katie Keller was intentionally walked and Maryssa Becker drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Kayla Soles was hit by a pitch to bring Jones home.
The Bulls had a scoring opportunity in the third when Kourtney Savarola singled and took second on Ashli Goff's sacrifice bunt. Walks to Stephanie Medina and Tacoia Williams loaded the bases with one out. Rachel LeCoq entered to pitch and got Lee Ann Spivey to line out to third base where Whitney Arion also tagged Salvarola off of the base for a double play to end the inning.
USF had another chance to push a run across in the fourth. Juli Weber reached on a leadoff hit and an error on the throw sent her to second. Monica Santos singled to send her to third. A double steal attempt sent Santos to second, but Weber remained at third to place two runners in scoring position with one out. Kristen Wyckoff sent a fly ball to left field where Taner Fowler made the catch and rifled a throw to catcher Maggie Ruckenbrod who was at the plate to tag Weber trying to score for another inning-ending double play.
The Cards added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Ruckenbrod led off the frame with a hit and took second on Hannah Kiyohara's sacrifice bunt. Jordan McNary entered to pinch-run for Ruckenbrod and moved to third on Jones' single and came home on Arion's sacrifice fly. Keller doubled to score Jones and give Louisville a 3-0 lead.
The bottom of the seventh brought one more scoring chance for USF. D'Anna Devine and Wyckoff started the inning with back-to-back singles to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs. LeCoq got Salvarola to line out to Arion at third, delivered a strikeout to Hoff and got Medina to send a grounder to shortstop Hannah Kiyohara who teamed with Arion for the final out.
LeCoq (6-7) got the win, holding the Bulls scoreless on four hits and striking out two in 4.2 innings of relief. Starting pitcher Caralisa Connell combined on the shutout giving up three hits and striking out three in 2.1 innings. Jones was 2 for 4 with two runs while Keller was 2 for 3 with an RBI to pace the Cards offensively.
Erica Nunn (9-5) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on four hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings. Santos went 2 for 3 to lead the Bulls at the plate.
Louisville and USF will conclude the three-game series Sunday at 12 p.m.
