Softball Sweeps Bellarmine Doubleheader
September 27, 2015 | Softball
Cards open the fall season with 8-5 and 6-2 wins over Bellarmine
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team opened the fall season with a doubleheader sweep of Bellarmine University Sunday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards won the first game 8-5 and took the second 6-2.
"I was really pleased with our performance today," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I think we're way ahead of where we were last year. We got some great pitching from Maryssa Becker and our two freshmen I thought did a great job. They got off to a little bit of a shaky start, but they came in and threw well for us. At times we were very young out there, yet I think they were able to handle a lot. I'm very impressed. With continued hard work, I think we're going to have a great team."
Louisville 8- Bellarmine 5
In the opening game, sophomore Nicole Pufahl's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh broke a 5-5 tie and lifted the Cardinals to an 8-5 victory.
Louisville got on the scoreboard early with a run in the bottom of the first. Junior Maryssa Becker delivered a two-out single and was lifted for pinch runner Jessica Adell who took second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a double by Lillie Goetz.
The Cards tacked on another run in the third when junior Morgan Meyer singled and took second on sophomore Sidney Melton's sacrifice bunt. One out later, Becker's RBI hit gave the Cards a 2-0 lead.
The fourth inning brought another run for the Cards. Pufahl singled and moved to second on freshman Megan Hensley's sacrifice bunt. She stole third and crossed the plate on a Bellarmine error to make the score 4-0.
Pufahl added a two-run double in the fifth which brought home Melton and senior Brittany Sims who had walked to start the inning.
With the Cardinals leading 5-0 in the top of the sixth, the Knights rallied to even the score. Ally Foster got the frame stared with a double and took third on a wild pitch. Erica Knollman walked to place runners on the corners for Marlee Tevis' sacrifice fly to put Bellarmine on the scoreboard. Erica Knollman reached on a two-out error and Olivia Russell walked to load the bases for Megan Bretz's pinch-hit grand slam which tied the game at 5-5.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Sims registered a leadoff single and Lillie Goetz walked to place two on for Pufahl who sent a shot over the left field fence to give Louisville the 8-5 victory.
Hensley got the win allowing four unearned runs on one hit and striking out three in 1.2 innings of relief. Becker gave up one earned run on three hits and fanned seven in 5.1 innings of work. Pufahl led the Cardinals offensively going 3 for 4 with five RBIs and two runs. Becker went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Madeline Kurtz took the loss, giving up three earned runs on three hits and striking out one in 1.1 innings of relief. Starter Ally Foster allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and struck out one in 5.0 innings.
Louisvillle 6 – Bellarmine 2
In the nightcap, sophomore Sarah Lopesilvero went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two runs and Hensley went 2 for 2 with a home run and two RBIs as the Cardinals completed the sweep with a 6-2 win.
The teams played through two scoreless innings before Louisville broke through with two runs in the third. Hensley's leadoff home run put the Cards on the scoreboard. Sophomore Jamie Soles walked, stole second and came home on junior Jordan McNary's RBI single to make the score 2-0.
Louisville tacked on another run in the fourth when Lopesilvero connected on a one-out double and crossed the plate on a hit by Hensley to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Knights answered in the sixth. Back-to-back hits by Maddie Kurtz and Danielle Williamson place runners on first and third. A double steal saw Kurtz safe at the plate. Melissa Hammer singled Williamson home to pull Bellarmine within a run.
The Cards added three insurance runs in the sixth. Lopesilvero registered her second double of the game and moved to third on Michala Riggle's hit. Soles walked to load the bases for McNary's RBI single. An error sent Riggle home and Becker's RBI hit plated Soles for the 6-2 final.
Freshman Kaylea Horn got the win, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley got the start in the circle and held Bellarmine scoreless on two hits while striking out three in 2.0 innings. McNary went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Becker was 1 for 1 with an RBI and three walks. Soles went 1 for 1 with two runs.
Marlee Tevis took the loss after giving up three earned runs on six hits and striking out four in 4.0 innings. Tabby Shewmaker went 2 for 2 to lead the Knights at the plate.
Louisville will conclude the fall season Oct. 3-4 when Walters State, Lake Land Community College, Campbellsville and Bellarmine visit Ulmer Stadium for a tournament.
Next weekend's schedule:
October 3
Louisville vs. Lake Land CC - 1 p.m.
Louisville vs. Walters State - 3:30 p.m.
Lake Land vs. Walters State - 5:30 p.m.
October 4
Louisville vs. Campbellsville - 12 p.m.
Louisville vs. Bellarmine - 2:30 p.m.
Bellarmine vs. Campbellsville - 5 p.m.
Â
"I was really pleased with our performance today," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I think we're way ahead of where we were last year. We got some great pitching from Maryssa Becker and our two freshmen I thought did a great job. They got off to a little bit of a shaky start, but they came in and threw well for us. At times we were very young out there, yet I think they were able to handle a lot. I'm very impressed. With continued hard work, I think we're going to have a great team."
Louisville 8- Bellarmine 5
In the opening game, sophomore Nicole Pufahl's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh broke a 5-5 tie and lifted the Cardinals to an 8-5 victory.
Louisville got on the scoreboard early with a run in the bottom of the first. Junior Maryssa Becker delivered a two-out single and was lifted for pinch runner Jessica Adell who took second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a double by Lillie Goetz.
The Cards tacked on another run in the third when junior Morgan Meyer singled and took second on sophomore Sidney Melton's sacrifice bunt. One out later, Becker's RBI hit gave the Cards a 2-0 lead.
The fourth inning brought another run for the Cards. Pufahl singled and moved to second on freshman Megan Hensley's sacrifice bunt. She stole third and crossed the plate on a Bellarmine error to make the score 4-0.
Pufahl added a two-run double in the fifth which brought home Melton and senior Brittany Sims who had walked to start the inning.
With the Cardinals leading 5-0 in the top of the sixth, the Knights rallied to even the score. Ally Foster got the frame stared with a double and took third on a wild pitch. Erica Knollman walked to place runners on the corners for Marlee Tevis' sacrifice fly to put Bellarmine on the scoreboard. Erica Knollman reached on a two-out error and Olivia Russell walked to load the bases for Megan Bretz's pinch-hit grand slam which tied the game at 5-5.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Sims registered a leadoff single and Lillie Goetz walked to place two on for Pufahl who sent a shot over the left field fence to give Louisville the 8-5 victory.
Hensley got the win allowing four unearned runs on one hit and striking out three in 1.2 innings of relief. Becker gave up one earned run on three hits and fanned seven in 5.1 innings of work. Pufahl led the Cardinals offensively going 3 for 4 with five RBIs and two runs. Becker went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Madeline Kurtz took the loss, giving up three earned runs on three hits and striking out one in 1.1 innings of relief. Starter Ally Foster allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and struck out one in 5.0 innings.
Louisvillle 6 – Bellarmine 2
In the nightcap, sophomore Sarah Lopesilvero went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two runs and Hensley went 2 for 2 with a home run and two RBIs as the Cardinals completed the sweep with a 6-2 win.
The teams played through two scoreless innings before Louisville broke through with two runs in the third. Hensley's leadoff home run put the Cards on the scoreboard. Sophomore Jamie Soles walked, stole second and came home on junior Jordan McNary's RBI single to make the score 2-0.
Louisville tacked on another run in the fourth when Lopesilvero connected on a one-out double and crossed the plate on a hit by Hensley to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Knights answered in the sixth. Back-to-back hits by Maddie Kurtz and Danielle Williamson place runners on first and third. A double steal saw Kurtz safe at the plate. Melissa Hammer singled Williamson home to pull Bellarmine within a run.
The Cards added three insurance runs in the sixth. Lopesilvero registered her second double of the game and moved to third on Michala Riggle's hit. Soles walked to load the bases for McNary's RBI single. An error sent Riggle home and Becker's RBI hit plated Soles for the 6-2 final.
Freshman Kaylea Horn got the win, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley got the start in the circle and held Bellarmine scoreless on two hits while striking out three in 2.0 innings. McNary went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Becker was 1 for 1 with an RBI and three walks. Soles went 1 for 1 with two runs.
Marlee Tevis took the loss after giving up three earned runs on six hits and striking out four in 4.0 innings. Tabby Shewmaker went 2 for 2 to lead the Knights at the plate.
Louisville will conclude the fall season Oct. 3-4 when Walters State, Lake Land Community College, Campbellsville and Bellarmine visit Ulmer Stadium for a tournament.
Next weekend's schedule:
October 3
Louisville vs. Lake Land CC - 1 p.m.
Louisville vs. Walters State - 3:30 p.m.
Lake Land vs. Walters State - 5:30 p.m.
October 4
Louisville vs. Campbellsville - 12 p.m.
Louisville vs. Bellarmine - 2:30 p.m.
Bellarmine vs. Campbellsville - 5 p.m.
Â
Players Mentioned
RHP/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballSB: Highlights vs. No. 13 Stanford
Saturday, February 28
Highlights: Louisville SB vs. No. 18 Florida State (Gm. 1)
Thursday, July 11
Highlights: Louisville SB at Boston College
Sunday, May 05
SB: Daisy Hess and Sam Booe Postgame vs. #22/21 Clemson
Saturday, April 27
