Softball Wins AAC Crown with 3-2 Win Over UCF

Sunday, May 11

Houston, Texas

12:00 PM

University of Louisville

UCF

Katie Keller went five for five this weekend and earned MOP Honors.

May 11, 2014 | Softball

May 11, 2014

Box Score

Click here to watch highlights of Louisville's 3-2 win over UCF in the American Championship game on the American Digital Network

HOUSTON - The University of Louisville softball team won the inaugural 2014 American Athletic Conference Softball Championship with a 3-2 win over UCF Sunday afternoon at Cougar Stadium.

The Cardinals (36-20) earn the league's automatic bid for their 11th straight NCAA appearance and will learn their NCAA Tournament seeding on Sunday at 10 p.m. Eastern. The selection show will air live on ESPNU.

"I thought our team did an amazing job today against a very tough UCF team," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Rachel LeCoq pitched a great game and Katie Keller came through for us once again -- nobody could get her out this weekend. This was a complete team effort and I especially want to give credit to my coaching staff who worked so hard to make sure our team was prepared to win this championship."

Senior - and tournament Most Outstanding Player - Katie Keller was two for two with a home run, a triple and two runs while fellow senior Rachel LeCoq held the Knights in check through the final six innings of the game, scattering two hits and striking out three after entering the game in relief in the second inning.

Keller gave the Cardinals an early lead when she led off the second inning by taking a full-count pitch over the right field fence for her sixth home run of the season.

UCF answered with two runs in the home half of the second. Mariah Garcia drew a leadoff walk and sprinted around to score on Kalyn Cenal's double to even the score at 1-1. A wild pitch send pinch-runner Kaitlyn Strekel to third and she came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brittany Solis to pull the Knights ahead 2-1.

After a scoreless third inning, the Cards got the run back. Keller led off the fourth with a triple and came home when an error allowed junior Kayla Soles to reach.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the fifth, freshman Jordan McNary connected on a one-out double for her third hit of the game. A groundout by junior Whitney Arion sent McNary to third and she crossed the plate on a wild pitch to put Louisville ahead for good.

The Knights (41-16) threatened in the home half of the fifth when Maddy Schroeder and Kahley Novak delivered back-to-back singles and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Linnea Goodman's sacrifice bunt to place two runners in scoring position with one out. LeCoq and the Cardinals defense stood strong as groundouts to Keller at second base and senior Hannah Kiyohara at shortstop ended the threat. The Cards did not allow a base runner through the final two innings of the game.

The Cardinals had five players named to the all-tournament team, including centerfielder Kayla Soles, designated hitter Brittany Duncan, catcher Taner Fowler, pitcher Rachel LeCoq and second basemen Katie Keller. Keller was named Most Outstanding Player after having a perfect 5-for-5 weekend at the plate with three home runs, including a grand slam. She also scored six runs and drove in six in the Cards' three tournament wins.

2014 American Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Juli Weber, CF, USFAlexis Durando, 1B, RutgersAlyssa Landrith, P, RutgersSamantha McCloskey, 1B, UCFMariah Garcia, CF, UCFMackenzie Audas, P, UCFFarrah Sullivan, 3B, UCFKayla Soles, CF, LouisvilleBrittany Duncan, DH, LouisvilleTaner Fowler, C, LouisvilleRachel LeCoq, P, LouisvilleKatie Keller, 2B, Louisville (Most Outstanding Player)