Softball Set for Tucson Regional
May 14, 2014 | Softball
May 14, 2014
Complete Louisville Tucson Regional Game Notes 
The University of Louisville softball team will travel to Tucson, Ariz. , to face LSU in the opening game of the Tucson Regional on May 16 at 8:04 p.m. (EDT) - the game will be televised on ESPN. Host Arizona earned the overall No. 11 seed in the tournament and will play Boston University in the other first round game. The regional will continue through May 18 with all games being televised on the ESPN family of networks. Louisville's game against LSU will be shown on ESPN.
2014 Tucson Regional Schedule
Friday, May 16
8:04 PM Game 1- LSU vs. Louisville (ESPN) Click here to watch Louisville vs. LSU
11:00 PM Game 2- Arizona vs. Boston (ESPNU
Saturday, May 17
4:30 PM Game 3- Winner Game 1 vs. 2 Winner Game 2
7:00 PM Game 4- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
9:30 PM Game 5- Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 18
4:30 PM Game 6- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
7:00 PM Game 7- Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6* *if necessary
Click here for tournament central
Cardinal Quick Hits
• The Cardinals (36-20) are making their 11th straight NCAA tournament appearance after earning the American Athletic Conference's automatic bid after a 3-2 win over UCF in the league's championship game Sunday afternoon in Houston. Third-seed Louisville beat sixth-seeded Temple 5-3 to open the tournament and then toppled the No. 2 seed USF 8-0 to reach Sunday's final against top-seeded UCF.
• UofL is led offensively by senior Katie Keller who is batting .402 with 49 runs, 19 doubles, six home runs and 35 RBIs. Junior Kelsi Jones has belted out a team-best 11 home runs while junior Brittany Duncan leads the Cardinals with 39 RBIs and is tied for second on the team with nine homers.
• Louisville is hitting .301 as a team with five players boasting batting averages above .300 and five players with 30 or more RBIs on the season.
• Freshman Maryssa Becker(13-7) leads the pitching staff with a 2.08 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 138.0 innings. Senior Rachel LeCoq (13-8) has a 3.12 ERA with 108Ks in 125.2 innings of work.
• Head coach Sandy Pearsall is in her 15th season at UofL. She started the program in 2000 and is the only head coach in UofL Softball history, guiding the program to a 589-296 record.
#23/23 LSU
Series Record: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: March 3, 2013 - Then-No. 15 Louisville defeated No. 11 LSU 6-2 in the Citrus Classic in Orlando. -Maggie Ruckenbrod was 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs and a run and Katie Keller was 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI. Rachel LeCoq got the win while holding the Tigers scoreless on three hits and striking out three in 5.1 innings of relief. Rachele Fico took the loss, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits and striking out 10 in 7.0 innings. Allison Falcon went 2 for 3 to lead the Tigers offensively.
Scouting the Tigers: No. 23/23 LSU (35-22) earned an at-large bid after advancing to the semifinals of the SEC Championship. The Tigers are making their 16th NCAA appearance and have been to the Women's College World Series three times, most recently in 2012.
• LSU is hitting .311 as a team with six starters carrying averages of .300 or above. A.J. Andrews carries a team-best .339 batting average with 43 runs and 35 stolen bases. Jaquish Sahvanna has 13 home runs and 48 RBIs.
• Baylee Corbello and Ashley Czechner have split the time in the circle for the Tigers. Corbello is 17-8 overall with a 2.55 ERA and 175 strikeouts in 176.0 innings. Czechner is 13-12 overall with a 3.45 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 152.0 innings.
Boston University
Series Record: Louisville leads 2-0
Last Meeting: March 4, 2012, Louisville won 2-0 in Knoxville, Tenn.- Katie Keller's two-run home run provided the only scoring while Tori Collins and Chelsea Leonard combined to shut out the Terriers in the Tennessee Classic. Holli Floetker took the loss while Emily Roesch and Melanie Delgado had Boston's only hits in the game.
Scouting the Terriers: Boston University (35-19) is making its fourth NCAA appearance in six years after winning the Patriot League tournament to earn the league's automatic bid.
• Boston is batting .309 as a team with four players hitting over .300 on the season Jayme Mask leads the team with a .400 average, 42 runs and 34 stolen bases. Brittany Clendenny has knocked in a team-high 50 RBIs. Brittany Younan and Moriah Connolly are tied atop the team lead with five home runs apiece.
• In the circle, Boston U. has split the action amongst three underclassmen. Sophomore Lauren Hynes is 14-13 overall and leads the staff with 152.1 innings while carrying a 3.54 ERA and 63 strikeouts. Fellow sophomore Melanie Russell is 12-3 overall with a 2.09 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 104.0 innings. Freshman Makinna Akers is 9-3 overall with a 2.52 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 105.2 innings.
#10/11 University of Arizona
Series Record: Arizona leads 3-0
Last Meeting: March 18, 2010 - Then-No. 2 Arizona defeated No. 24 Louisville 11-3 in the Judi Garman Classic.
• Note: The teams met in the Louisville Regional in 2009 and the Wildcats defeated the Cardinals 18-4, setting a UofL school record for runs allowed.
• The teams first met in 2002 when Louisville traveled to Tucson for the Arizona Pepsi Challenge. Then-top-ranked and defending national champions defeated the Cardinals 6-2.
Scouting the Wildcats: Ninth-ranked Arizona, earned the overall No. 11 seed after posting a 41-13 record and a 14-10 mark in the Pac-12. The Wildcats are making their 28th NCAA appearance and have won the national title eight times, most recently in 2007.
• The Wildcats carry a .353 team batting average which ranks second in the country. Arizona leads the nation in home runs (100), scoring (7.67 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.644).
• Arizona has seven starters batting above .300 on the season with Kelsey Rodriguez leading the way with a 424 average including 40 RBIs and 35 runs. Chelsea Goodacre is hitting .340 with a team best 70 RBIs and 22 home runs. Kellie Fox adds 59 RBIs and 14 home runs with a .401 batting average. Katiyana Mauga, Hallie Wilson and Mo Mercado add 56, 52, and 48 RBIs, respectively..
• Senior Estela Pinon leads Arizona in the circle with a 17-7 overall record. Pinon carries a 2.54 ERA with 124 strikeouts in 143.1 innings. Kenzie Fowler (8-6), Nancy Bowling (7-0) and Shelby Babcock (5-0) have also seen significant action for the Wildcats.
Keller Named USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week
Katie Keller was named the USA Softball/National Collegiate Player of the Week on May 13. This marks the second USA Softball national player of the week nod for Keller who became the first player in program history to earn the award on March 5, 2013. She is the school's only two-time honoree.
Keller, the American Athletic Conference Championship Most Outstanding Player, batted 1.000 (5 for 5) with three home runs, a triple, six RBIs and six runs during the Cardinals' tournament championship run. She posted a 3.200 slugging percentage and added four walks and was hit by a pitch to add to her 1.000 on-base percentage.
• She had a home run in each of Louisville's three games, connecting on her first career grand slam in the third-seeded Cards' semifinal win over the No. 2 seed USF. She had a home run and a triple and scored two of Louisville's runs in the 3-2 upset of top-seeded UCF in the championship game. She also played perfect defense at second base.
Senior Salute
Entering the tournament the senior class of 2014 has won 176 games, they have played in three conference title games - and won two tournament titles and one regular season championship game. They are making their fourth NCAA appearance, and served as a No. 15 overall seed twice. Their teams have been a fixture in the national rankings - reaching as high as No. 7 in 2012 and 2013.
• The 2012 campaign saw the Cards win a program-best 55 games, capture the conference tournament crown and host an NCAA Regional as a national seed for the first time in school history.
• The 2013 Cardinals were one of just four teams to topple the No. 1 team in the nation when they toppled eventual national champion Oklahoma on the road.
• All six seniors have earned All-Conference honors during their first three seasons at Louisville representing 11 all-conference selections, four-All Great Lakes Region selections, and two All-Americans.
Senior Accolades
Caralisa Connell: Three-time All-BIG EAST (2011-13)
Taner Fowler: American All-Conference first team and All-tournament team (2014); All-BIG EAST, All-Great Lakes Region, All-America (2012)
Katie Keller: American All-Conference first team (2014); Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2014); Three-time All-BIG EAST (2011-13); Two-time All-Great Lakes Region (2012-13); All-America (2013)
Hannah Kiyohara: Two-time All-BIG EAST (2011 and 2013)
Rachel LeCoq: American All-Tournament team (2014); All-BIG EAST (2013)
Maggie Ruckenbrod: All-BIG EAST, All-Great Lakes Region (2013)
Last Up:
Louisville earned the American Athletic Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by winning the conference championship. The Cardinals hit seven home runs and outscored opponents 16-5 in the three-game tournament.
Louisville 5 - Temple 3
• The third-seeded Cardinals opened the tournament with a 5-3 win over sixth-seeded Temple. In that game, Louisville used four home runs, including two by Kayla Soles and one each by Brittany Duncan and Katie Keller, to beat the Owls 5-3.
Louisville 8 - USF 0
• In the semifinals, the Cardinals used two home runs, a two-run shot and Katie Keller's first career-grand slam, to upset second-seeded USF. Rachel LeCoq got the complete game shutout.
Louisville 3 - UCF 2
• In the championship game, Katie Keller had a home run, a triple, and scored two runs while Rachel LeCoq shut down top-seeded UCF, scattering two hits in 6.0 innings of relief to give the Cards their second conference tournament title in three years.
Keller named American Athletic Conference Championship Most Outstanding Player
Five Cardinals earn all-tournament honors
Katie Keller was named American Athletic Conference Championship Most Outstanding Player after batting 1.000 (5 for 5) with three home runs, a triple, six RBIs and six runs in the Cardinals' tournament championship run. She posted a 3.200 slugging percentage and added four walks and was hit by a pitch for a 1.000 on-base percentage. She had a home run in each of Louisville's three games, connecting on her first career grand slam in the third-seeded Cards' semifinal win over the No. 2 seed USF. She had a home run and a triple and scored two of Louisville's runs in the 3-2 upset of top-seeded UCF in the championship game. She also played perfect defense in the tournament at second base.
• Taner Fowler, Brittany Duncan, Kayla Soles and Rachel LeCoq were also named to the all-tournament team.
Cards place five on American All-Conference teams
The University of Louisville placed five players on the American All-Conference Softball teams. Seniors Katie Keller and Taner Fowler earned first team honors while juniors Whitney Arion and Kayla Soles and freshman Maryssa Becker were named to the second team.
• Keller garnered her fourth all-conference selection after batting .369 with 14 runs and 11 RBIs in conference play.
• Fowler made her second appearance on an all-conference first team. Against conference opponents, the utility player batted .375 with a team-best 19 RBI, five home runs and scored 13 runs.
• Arion earned all-conference honors for the third time in her career. The junior, who made a midseason move from shortstop to third base hit 324 with a team-high 17 runs and drove in 16 runs in league play.
• Soles transitioned from third base to right field and grabbed her first all-conference selection after leading the team in conference play with a .393 batting average with five home runs and 17 RBIs.
• Becker posted a 2.39 ERA with a 5-3 record and 59 strikeouts in 58.2 innings against conference opponents. She also carried a .311 batting average with 25 RBIs and 21 runs and finished the season with a .286 average in conference play.
Cards surpass 30 win mark for 11th straight season
On April 26, the Cardinals defeated Temple 5-0 to mark their 30th win of the season. marking the 11th straight season the Cardinals have won 30 or more games (dating back to 2004). The Cards have posted at least 30 wins 13 times in the 15 year history of the program.
Cards going yard
After setting a school record with 63 home runs in 2013, the Cards now have 52 on the season placing the 2014 team third on the school's list for most home runs - five behind the 2005 team which held the record with 57 until last year.
• Louisville has been on a hot streak in the last part of the season, hitting 24 home runs in its last 17 games, dating back to the April 12, 6-0 win over Connecticut. The Cardinals have hit at least one homer in 15 of their last 17 games and seven of those have been multi-home run games for the team.
• The power production has been evenly distributed with Brittany Duncan, Kelsi Jones, Katie Keller and Kayla Soles each contributing four homers; Taner Fowler adding three, Whitney Arion and Maryssa Becker with two and Maggie Ruckenbrod chipping in with one.
Becker Top 25 Finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year
Maryssa Becker was named one of the top 25 finalists for the inaugural National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy, which will be presented prior to the start of the 2014 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Duncan takes over season record for walks
On April 19, Brittany Duncan drew her 37th walk of the season, tying two-time All-American Melissa Roth's record set in the 2010 season. She took sole possession of the record when she was walked three times on April 26 in the 14-6 win over Temple She now has a league-high 46 walks.
Keller walks past career record
Katie Keller drew two walks in the Cards' 6-0 win over Connecticut on April 12, tying and setting the school record for career walks. She now has 118 career walks. All-American Chelsea Bemis (2008-11) held the previous record with 111.
Ruckenbrod putting the ball in play
Maggie Ruckenbrod is ranked 11th in the nation and first in the American Athletic Conference in the "Toughest to Strike Out" category. The senior catcher has only struck out four times in 141 at bats.
Fowler scores 100th career run
On April 12, UofL defeated Connecticut 6-0 and Taner Fowler scored her 100th career run, becoming 13th player in program history to reach that milestone. She now has 110 career runs and needs seven more to reach the school's top 10 career list. Two-time All-American Melissa Roth holds the school record with 204 - the only Cardinal to surpass the 200 mark.
Keller selected as a Top Ten Finalist for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award® for Softball
Katie Keller was selected as one of ten finalists for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award for softball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.
• Finalists were chosen by national media from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2014 NCAA Women's College World Series® in Oklahoma City May 29 through June 4.
Becker Tosses First Career No-Hitter
On March 19, freshman Maryssa Becker struck out five en route to her first career no-hitter as the Cards defeated host Western Kentucky 3-0. The no-no was Louisville's first since April 15, 2012 when Tori Collins posted her second consecutive one against Longwood.
Ruckenbrod on Patrol
Senior catcher Maggie Ruckenbrod has thrown out 17 of 36 would-be base stealers. She currently has thrown out 57 in her career, placing her second on the school's all-time list behind current softball director of operations Lisa (McMillan) Pinkston who owns the record with 60.
Power Surge
Junior transfers Kelsi Jones (Missouri) and Brittany Duncan (Valparaiso) have been welcome additions to the Cardinals who graduated three all-conference selections who accounted for 20 home runs and 104 RBI. Jones leads the team with 11 home runs while Duncan has nine to account for 20 of the Cardinals' 52 round-trippers on the season. Duncan leads the team with 39 RBIs while Jones follows closely with 37.
