University of Louisville
Ohio State
Softball Sweeps Ohio State 9-7 and 14-4
March 18, 2015 | Softball
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The University of Louisville softball team overcame a 7-4 deficit in the seventh to beat host Ohio State 9-7 and went on to beat the Buckeyes 14-4 in game two to complete a doubleheader sweep Tuesday afternoon at Buckeye Field. The Cardinals (15-7) will travel to Oxford, Ohio for a single game at Miami (Ohio) Wednesday at 4 p.m.
"It was of two teams today," said UofL head coach. "We had moments of excellence and moments of poor play. We hit the ball well and persevered when we were down. Sometimes teams can lay down when things aren't going well, and this team didn't do that - they decided to fight back and I'm proud of them for that."
Louisville 9 - Ohio State 7 (PDF)Â 
In game one, the Cardinals overcame a 7-4 deficit in the seventh inning to win 9-7. The contest featured an offensive battle with each team exchanging the lead throughout the game. Sophomore Maryssa Becker was 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs to pace the Cards offensively and picked up the win in circle.
The Buckeyes (13-9) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Caitlin Conrad led off with a single to set up Anna Kirk's two-run shot over the left field fence.
The Cardinals had a scoring opportunity in the top of the second when walks to Brittany Sims and Whitney Arion and a hit by Kayla Soles loaded the bases with one out. Ohio State's Olivia O'Reilly issued two strikeouts to end the threat.
Ohio State added a run in the home half of the second. Maddy McIntyre drew a leadoff walk and Erika Leonard followed with a single. Both runners advanced on Alex Bayne's sacrifice bunt and Kirstie Fehrenbach's base hit brought McIntyre home to make the score 3-0.
Louisville answered in the top of the third when Kelsi Jones singled and McNary walked. Maryssa Becker followed with a shot over straight centerfield. Her team-best fifth homer of the season evened the score at 3-3.
The teams played through two more innings with the score knotted at 3-3 before the Cards pulled ahead with a run in the sixth. McNary led off with a single and took second on an error on the play. Becker's RBI single gave Louisville a 4-3 lead.
The Buckeyes quickly responded using three hits and two errors to put up a four-spot in the bottom of the sixth. McIntyre led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to even the score at 4-4. A double by Alex Bayne and a single by Kirstie Fehrenbach set up Caitlin Conrad's RBI single to put Ohio State on top 5-4. One out later, an error sent Fehrenbach home and another error plated Conrad to make the score 7-4
Down three runs entering the top of the seventh, the Cardinals used five hits to score five runs in the seventh. Sims got the inning started with a single and scored on a one-out RBI single by Soles. Tiarra Sanabria reached on a fielder's choice and Alison Szydlowski followed with a triple to cut the lead to one run. Kelsi Jones was intentionally walked to place runners on first and third with two outs in the innings. Nicole Pufahl stepped up to the plate and connected on an RBI double to tie the score at 7-7. Becker walked to load the bases for Hailey Smith's two-run single to give Louisville a 9-7 lead.
Becker retired all three batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh for the 9-7 final.
Becker picked up the win, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out two in 1.2 innings of relief. Soles was 3 for 3 with an RBI while Smith went 2 for 5 with two RBIs.
Alex DiDomenico (2-2) took the loss allowing five earned runs on four hits in 0.2 innings of relief.
Louisville 14 - Ohio State 5 (5 inn.)Â
In game two, Nicole Pufahl went 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs and Maryssa Becker chipped in three RBIs and picked up her second win of the day to help lead the Cardinals to a 14-4 victory over the Buckeyes.
The Cardinals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jones led off the game with a walk, stole second. Back-to-back groundouts by McNary and Becker brought Jones home to give Louisville the early lead.
Louisville used three walks and four hits - including Pufahl's three-run homer to score seven runs and take an 8-0 lead in the second. Brittany Sims got the inning started with a leadoff double and eventually scored on an RBI hit by Whitney Arion. Walks to Soles and Alison Szydlowski loaded the bases for Jones' who walked to bring Arion home. Becker delivered a two-run single to plate Soles and Szydlowski bringing the score to 5-0. Pufahl launched a shot to the scoreboard in centerfield for her second homer of the season which gave Louisville an 8-0 lead.
The Cards capitalized on four hits and two errors to tack on five more runs in the fourth. Pufahl delivered a two-out single and Sims powered her fourth home run of the season over the left field fence to make the score 10-0. Arion reached on an error and Soles singled to set up Sanabria's RBI double Ohio State got on the scoreboard with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. An error plated Sanabria to bring the score to 13-0.
The Buckeyes got on the scoreboard with four runs in the fourth. Becker carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth before back-to-back singles by Taylor Watkins and Cammi Prantl placed two runners on. An error on Anna Kirk's fielder's choice saw Watkins safe at second and sent Watkins home to put OSU on the board. Erika Leonard connected on a sacrifice fly and RBIs by Jayla Saibene and Taylor White brought the score to 13-4.
In the top of the fifth, Sidney Melton's first home run of the season gave Louisville a 14-4 lead which held for the final.
Becker (6-1) got the win allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits and striking out four in 3.1 innings. The Cardinals pounded out 14 hits. Sims went 2 for 3 with a double and a home run while Becker went 1 for 3 with three RBIs.
Lena Springer (1-3) took the loss allowing seven earned runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. Watkins was 2 for 3 with a run to pace the Buckeyes offensively.
