University of Louisville
NORTH CAROLINA
Softball Splits Doubleheader with North Carolina
March 21, 2015 | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Senior Kelsi Jones went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs on the day as the University of Louisville softball team split an ACC doubleheader with North Carolina Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards fell 4-2 in game one, but rebounded to take the second game 9-2. Louisville (17-8, 7-1 ACC) and North Carolina (21-6, 6-1) will meet at 12 p.m. Sunday to decide the series.
"It's good to see the team come back and fight and play the game, but you can't spot runs against good teams like North Carolina and expect to come back and win those games easily," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We have to be better at starting games than we have been in the last week. I thought the second game was a game we came out and swung the bats aggressive and got it going. Shelby McCombs threw a very good game for us."
North Carolina 4 - Louisville 2 (PDF)Â 
Kelsi Jones went 2 for 2 with an RBI, but it wasn't enough to stop North Carolina who used seven hits, including a two-run homer by Kristen Brown to beat the Cardinals 4-2 in the opening game of an ACC doubleheader.
The Tar Heels jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Taylor Wike led off the game with a walk, took second on a groundout, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Amber Parrish.
North Carolina added a pair of runs courtesy of Brown's two-run homer in the third. Wike started the inning with a single and one out later, Brown drove a shot over the fence in left centerfield to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead.
The Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the home half of the third when Nicole Pufahl reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on a double by Jones to make it a 3-1 game.
The Tar Heels got the run back in the fifth. Brown delivered a leadoff single, advanced on a groundout and a passed ball to set up an RBI set for Kendra Lynch to make the score 4-1.
Louisville answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Whitney Arion singled and an error on the play sent her to third. Szydlowski followed with an RBI hit to pull the Cardinals within two runs.
The Cards had an opportunity to push more runs across in the bottom of the seventh when Sims led off with a double and Arion walked to place two runners on. Pufahl's sacrifice hit put the tying run in scoring position for Kelsi Jones who was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. A force out at home ended the scoring threat and gave the Tar Heels the 4-2 win.
Maryssa Becker (6-2) took the loss allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and striking out four in 7.0 innings.
Kaylee Carlson (11-2) got the win giving up two runs, one earned on six hits and striking out three in a complete game effort. Brown was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs to lead the Tar Heels at the plate.
Louisville 9 - North Carolina 2 (PDF) 2Â
In game two of the doubleheader, Arion was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Jones went 2 for 2 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs to pace the Cardinals to a 9-2 victory and hand the Tar Heels their first conference loss of the season.
Louisville struck early with three runs in the first. Jones got the inning started with a hit and Maryssa Becker's double placed runners at second and third for Ashley Nikolao's RBI single. An error sent Becker home and Kayla Soles' sacrifice fly plated Nikolao to give the Cards a 3-0 lead.
The second brought four more Louisville runs including a two-run homer by Jones. Brittany Sims led off with a hit to set up Jones' second home run of the season which put the Cards on top 5-0. One out later, Becker walked, Nikolao doubled and both scored on Arion's RBI single to make it a 7-0 game.
The scoring continued for Louisville in the third when Sims' fifth home run of the season extended the lead to 8-0.
The Tar Heels used a home run of their own to get on the scoreboard in the fourth. Jenna Kelly connected on a one-out double and Kendra Lynch followed with a two-run shot to make the score 8-2.
Louisville tacked on a final run in the fifth when Jordan McNary singled and took second and Kelsi Jones was intentionally walked for the third time on the day. Nicole Pufahl earned a walk to load the bases for Becker's RBI hit which brought the score to 9-2.
Shelby McCombs (6-2) got the win allowing two earned runs on 11 hits and striking out five in a complete game effort. Becker, Nikolao and Sims each went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI in the game.
Sydney Matzko (6-3) took the loss giving up six runs, four earned, on five hits in 1.2 innings of work. Lynch led the Tar Heels with at 2 for 2 with two RBI performance at the plate.
The teams will meet in the rubber game Sunday at 12 p.m. The game will be aired live on ESPN3.
