Softball Travels to Lipscomb for Midweek Doubleheader

The University of Louisville softball team will travel to Nashville, Tenn., for a midweek doubleheader against Lipscomb on Wednesday at 3 p.m. (EST).

About Louisville:
• The Cardinals bring a 10-4 record into the weekend after going 4-1 in their home-opening Red & Black Classic.
• Freshman Megan Hensley leads the team with a .432 batting average, five home runs and 11 runs. Junior Morgan Meyer follows with a .381 batting average with eight runs.
• Junior Maryssa Becker (3-3) leads the Cards in the circle with a 1.77 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. Hensley (7-1) carries a 1.80 ERA and is holding opponents to a .193 batting average.
• Head coach Sandy Pearsall is in her 17th season at the helm. Since starting the program in 2000, she has led the Cardinals to six conference championships and 12 NCAA appearances. Pearsall has a 629-319 overall record at UofL and an 879-653 tally in her 30th season as a head coach.

Cardinal Quick Hits
• Junior Maryssa Becker recently snapped an 11-game hitting streak and a 13-game streak in which she reach via a hit or a walk.
• Becker recently registered her 100th career hit in the 3-0 loss to Nebraska on Feb. 21.
• Louisville has outscored opponents 77-37.

Up Next:
Following their midweek doubleheader at Lipscomb, the Cards will return to Ulmer Stadium for the ACC opener against Georgia Tech.

Cards against the field
Lipscomb
Series Record: First Meeting
Scouting the Bisons: Lipscomb enters the midweek doubleheader with an 8-6 overall record while coming off of a 4-1 showing at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Bison's opened the tournamen with a 4-0 loss to No. 18 Kentucky, but rebounded with wins over Northern Kentucky (10-1), Evansville (9-1), Eastern Illinois (4-1) and Miami (Ohio) (8-6).
• Lipscomb is led offensively by Brittany Elmore who carries a .404 batting average with 10 runs and eight stole bases. Caitlin Plocheck has driven in a team-high 14 RBI and is tied for the lead with three home runs on the season.
• In the circle, Tanner Sanders (4-3) has shouldered much of the pitching duties in the early season with 47.2 innings pitched. She carries a 0.88 ERA with 41 strikeouts and has held opponents to a .209 batting average.

Last time out
Megan Hensley led the Cardinals to a 4-1 record in the Red & Black Classic. The freshman RHP/DP posted a .429 batting average (6 for 14) with seven RBIs and four runs. She also belted out three home runs to help produce a 1.071 slugging percentage. She went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs in the 9-5 win over Cleveland State and went 2 for 3 with a two-run home run in the 6-3, come-from-behind 6-3 win against Kent State.
In addition to her performance at the plate, Hensley also posted a 3-0 record in the circle with 16 strikeouts in 18.1 innings of work

Louisville 9 - Cleveland State 5
• Freshman Megan Hensley went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs and got the win in the circle to lead the Cardinals to a 9-5 win over Cleveland State in their home opener.
Kent State 13 - Louisville 9
• In game two, Louisville registered a season-high 14 hits, but the Golden Flashes used 12 hits including five home runs to beat the Cardinals 13-9.
Louisville 6 - Cleveland State 0
• Junior Maryssa Becker registered a career-high 11 strikeouts and scattered two hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Cardinals defeated Cleveland State 6-0.
Louisville 4 - North Dakota State 3
• The Cardinals overcame a 2-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings and held on for a 4-3 win over North Dakota State.
Louisville 6 - Kent State 3
• The Cardinals used a four-run fifth inning to erase a 3-0 deficit and beat Kent State 6-3 in the final game of the Red & Black Classic. Freshman Megan Hensley went 2 for 3 and got the win in the circle. Hailey Smith's RBI double, Sidney Melton's two-run triple and Morgan Meyer's sacrifice bunt keyed the fifth-inning comeback. Hensley's two-run homer added a pair of insurance runs.

• Stingy pitching
The Cards have been impressive in the circle through their first three weeks of play. Louisville's pitching staff has posted a combined 1.73 ERA and held opponents to a .206 batting average while striking out 74 in 97.1 innings.
• Junior Maryssa Becker (3-3) carries a 1.77 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 47.1 innings of work. Freshman Megan Hensley leads the team with a 7-1 record and carries a 1.80 ERA and is holding opponents to a .193 batting average.

Dual Threats
Two of Louisville's top offensive threats also double as the Cards Nos. 1 and 2 pitchers. Junior Maryssa Becker (who also plays first base) leads the team with 15 RBIs - she also has thrown a team-high 47.1 innings and has 27 Ks while carrying a 1.77 ERA. Freshman Megan Hensley leads the team with a .433 batting average, five home runs and 11 runs while splitting time at designated player or in the circle. The rookie hurler carries a 7-1 record and a 1.80 ERA in 46.2 innings of work.

Homegrown Talent
The Cardinals' roster features 11 (of 22) players from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Jessica Adell, Morgan Hart, Morgan Meyer, Michala Riggle and Jordan Vorbrink all hail from Louisville. Lillie Goetz (Owensboro), Megan Hensley (Ashland), Sarah Lopesilvero (Simpsonville), Jordan McNary (Madisonville), Ashley Nikolao (Flaherty), Brittany Sims (Lexington) round out the other players from the commonwealth.

Fountain of Youth
With five underclassmen in its most recent starting lineup and only three seniors on the team, it is fair to say that the 2016 Cardinals are a young team. Three of the four pitchers are underclassmen with junior Maryssa Becker serving as the veteran on the staff.

Hensley Named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week - Feb. 15
Megan Hensley was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week in the leagues' first weekly honors of the season released on February 15.
• Hensley (Ashland, Ky.) posted a 3-0 record on the week – earning a win in each of her appearances. The freshman registered a 0.82 ERA and held opponents to a .136 batting average with six strikeouts in 17.0 innings of work.
• Hensley helped her own cause at the plate with a .389 batting average (7 for 18) on the weekend. She led the Cards with six runs and belted out two doubles while driving in a pair of runs.

Louisville Picked to Finish Third in ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll
The Louisville softball team was picked to finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in a as voted by the league's 11 head coaches.
• Two-time defending conference champion Florida State was picked to win the league with nine first place votes after finishing the 2015 season with a 48-12 overall record and a 20-3 mark in ACC play. Notre Dame received 92 points and two first-place votes to stand at second in the preseason poll. The Irish are coming off of a 42-15 campaign and went 17-6 in the conference last season and finished third in the ACC.
• Louisville and North Carolina State tied for third with 74 points each. The Cardinals finished the 2015 season with a 30-19 overall record and went 16-7 to finish fourth in the ACC. The Cardinals went on to make their 12th consecutive NCAA regional appearance.
• North Carolina State posted a 38-20 (13-8) record in 2015 and finished fifth in the ACC regular season standings. North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Virginia rounded out the final seven spots in the preseason poll.

Louisville softball broadcast schedule
        The University of Louisville softball team has announced its 2016 television schedule was released Monday and includes 14 games shown on ESPN3. All of Louisville's remaining home games not selected for ESPN coverage will be available for viewing through CardsTV at GoCards.com.
Louisville Softball on ESPN Networks
Louisville softball games on ESPN3 (as of February 1, 2016)
April 2      Louisville at North Carolina     1 p.m.
April 3      Louisville at North Carolina     3 p.m.
April 9      Louisville vs. Virginia Tech     12 p.m.
April 9      Louisville vs. Virginia Tech      3 p.m.
April 10    Louisville vs. Virginia Tech     12 p.m.
April 23    Louisville vs. Syracuse            12 p.m.
April 24    Louisville vs. Syracuse            12 p.m.
April 27    Louisville vs. Kentucky             6 p.m.
April 30    Louisville at Notre Dame        1 p.m.
April 30    Louisville at Notre Dame        3 p.m.
May 1       Louisville at Notre Dame       12 p.m.
May 7       Louisville at Florida State       4 p.m.
May 7       Louisville at Florida State       6 p.m.
May 8       Louisville at Florida State      12 p.m.

Becker Earns College Sports Madness Preseason ACC honors
Junior Maryssa Becker was named to the College Sports Madness 2016 Preseason All-ACC Team. The pitcher/first baseman was an All-ACC first team selection and was named to the 2015 NFCA All-Southeast Region team after leading Louisville at the plate with nine home runs and 39 RBI; and in the circle with a 14-9 record, 2.12 ERA and 147 strikeouts.

Becker career record watch
Junior Maryssa Becker is ranked among the top 10 in several career categories at Louisville. The following is a list of milestones she will reach in the near future:
• 5 starts to tie for 6th in career starts (58)
• 1win to tie for 8th in career wins (31)
• 2 saves to tie for 3rd in career saves (10)
• 2 shutouts to move into a tie for 8th on the career list (10)

Tough Road Ahead
Louisville's 2016 slate features four teams ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA Division I coaches polls including No. 2/2 Michigan and No. 12/12 Florida State, No. 16/17 Kentucky, and No. 21/25 Notre Dame.

Cards solid in classroom
        The University of Louisville softball team worked hard off the field in the 2015-16 fall semester. As a team, the Cards posted a 3.34 GPA in the fall semester. Additionally, 14 players were named to the Athletic Director's honor roll after posting a 3.0 GPA or higher.
        The following players were named to the 2015-16 Athletic Director's honor roll for the fall semester: Maryssa Becker, Lillie Goetz, Morgan Hart, Megan Hensley, Jenna Jordan, Sarah Lopesilvero, Jordan McNary, Sidney Melton, Madi Norman, Michala Riggle, Brittany Sims, Hailey Smith, Jamie Soles, Jordan Vorbrink.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jessica Adell

Maryssa Becker

Lillie Goetz

Morgan Hart

Megan Hensley

Jenna Jordan

Sarah Lopesilvero

Jordan McNary

Sidney Melton

Morgan Meyer

Ashley Nikolao

Madi Norman

Michala Riggle

Brittany Sims

Hailey Smith

Jamie Soles

Jordan Vorbrink

University of Louisville Athletics