Friday, March 25
Louisville, Ky.
2:00 PM
University of Louisville
20-6, 0
10
vs
1
NC STATE
15-16, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
NC State
0
0
0
1
0
1
3
3
Louisville
1
1
0
4
4
10
10
1
Softball Sweeps North Carolina State
March 25, 2016 | Softball
Cards defeat Wolfpack 10-1 in game one and take game two 12-9
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team swept North Carolina State 10-1 and 12-9 in an ACC doubleheader Friday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Cardinals 21-6 (7-1 ACC) and the Wolfpack 15-17 (2-3) will conclude the series with a single game Saturday at 12 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium.
"I'm proud of what Maryssa Becker did today on the mound, she did a great job," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Megan Hensley had a few tough innings, but NC State is a tough team to pitch to because they are a tremendous offensive team. I'm proud of the offense that we were able to create. We're not a team that's going to hit it out of the park a lot, but we were able to turn our hits into runs today."
Louisville 10 - NC State 1 (5 innings)
Freshman Lillie Goetz went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and fellow freshman Megan Hensley added a three-run homer to back junior Maryssa Becker who struck out six while collecting her fifth straight win in the circle.
The Cardinals wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with a run in the first inning. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with a hit, took second on an illegal pitch and moved to third when freshman Megan Hensley reached on an error. Freshman Lillie Goetz followed with a groundout to bring Melton home.
Louisville added another run in the second when senior Brittany Sims drew a leadoff walk and two outs later, junior Jordan McNary laced a triple to right centerfield to make the score 2-0.
The Wolfpack got on the scoreboard when Meredith Burroughs led off the fourth inning with a shot over the right field fence to make it a 2-1 game.
The Cards used three hits and an error to put up four runs in the fourth. Sophomore Nicole Pufahl started the inning with a double and McNary's bunt single placed runners on the corners for Melton's sacrifice fly. Becker reached on an error which sent McNary home to make the score 4-1. After a walk to Hensley, Lillie Goetz's two run double made the score 6-1.
The fifth inning brought four more Louisville runs highlighted by Hensley's three-run walk-off homer. Sophomore Ashley Nikolao registered a pinch-hit single and Pufahl followed with another hit. An error on McNary's sacrifice bunt attempt sent Nikolao home and put two runners on for Hensley's team-leading seventh homer of the season which lifted the Cards to a 10-1 win.
Becker (10-4) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out six in five innings. McNary went 2 for 2 with a triple, two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases and Pufahl went 2 for 3 with two runs to help lead the Cards offensively.
Courtney Mirabella (9-8) took the loss, allowing 10 runs, four earned, on 10 hits and striking out one in 4.2 innings of play. Burroughs, Tyler Ross and Alyssa Compton each had a hit for the Wolfpack.
Louisville 12 - NC State 9
In game two, sophomore Sidney Melton went 4 for 5 with three runs and an RBI as the Cardinals defeated the Wolfpack 12-9 in a slugfest that saw a combined 25 hits.
The Wolfpack jumped to a 2-0 lead. Tyler Ross drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Pinch-runner Brittany Nimmo came home on a single by Meredith Burroughs. Hannah Yeager doubled Burroughs home.
The Cardinals answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with an infield hit and junior Maryssa Becker followed with a single to place runner on the corners for freshman Megan Hensley whose grounder plated Melton. After a walk to sophomore Jenna Jordan, an RBI single by Brittany Sims evened the score at 2-2.
NC State regained the lead behind Nimmo's two-run homer in the top of the second. Lana Van Dyken was hit by a pitch to set up the two-run shot which gave the Wolfpack a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Louisville erupted for seven runs, using six hits and an error to take a 9-4 lead. McNary reached on a fielder's choice and Melton followed with a hit. Becker's RBI hit plated McNary. An error allowed Hensley to reach and sent Melton home. After a single by Goetz loaded the bases, Sims drew a walk to score Becker. Pufahl connected on a two-run single and Melton added an RBI hit.
The Wolfpack chipped away at the lead starting with two runs in the third. Maggie Hawkins reached on a fielder's choice and Hannah Yeager walked to set up Alyssa Compton's two-run double.
NC State capitalized on three hits and an error to put up three more runs in the fifth. Yeager and Cheyenne Balzer delivered back-to-back singles and Compton reached on an error which brought Yeager home. Molly Hutchison's RBI single and Burroughs' bases-loaded walk tied the game at 9-9
After two straight scoreless innings, the Cardinals reignited their offense with a pair of runs in the fifth. Back-to-back walks to Becker and Hensley set up RBI hits by sophomore Jenna Jordan's and Sims to put Louisville back on top 11-9.
The Cards capped the scoring with a run in the sixth. Melton connected on her fourth hit of the game, stole second and came home on Hensley's single for the 12-9 final.
Hensley (11-2) got the win, allowing nine runs, six earned, on 10 hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings. Becker gave up only one hit in two innings while collecting her second save of the season. Sims went 2 for 2 with three RBIs and a run. Becker and Pufahl also had two hits apiece in the game.
Mirabella (9-9) took the loss after giving up three earned runs on four hits in two innings of relief. Burroughs went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI and Yeager was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI to lead the Wolfpack at the plate.
NOTES:
• The Cardinals clinched their third straight ACC series.
• Louisville extended its win streak to a season-high nine games.
• Junior Maryssa Becker has picked up wins in her last five appearances in the circle
• Becker has reached safely via a hit or walk in 26 of her 27 games played this season
• Freshman Lillie Goetz has reached safely via a hit or walk in 15 straight games
• Melton set a career high in hits (four) and runs (three); she is now 11 for 11 in stolen bases
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"I'm proud of what Maryssa Becker did today on the mound, she did a great job," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Megan Hensley had a few tough innings, but NC State is a tough team to pitch to because they are a tremendous offensive team. I'm proud of the offense that we were able to create. We're not a team that's going to hit it out of the park a lot, but we were able to turn our hits into runs today."
Louisville 10 - NC State 1 (5 innings)
Freshman Lillie Goetz went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and fellow freshman Megan Hensley added a three-run homer to back junior Maryssa Becker who struck out six while collecting her fifth straight win in the circle.
The Cardinals wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with a run in the first inning. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with a hit, took second on an illegal pitch and moved to third when freshman Megan Hensley reached on an error. Freshman Lillie Goetz followed with a groundout to bring Melton home.
Louisville added another run in the second when senior Brittany Sims drew a leadoff walk and two outs later, junior Jordan McNary laced a triple to right centerfield to make the score 2-0.
The Wolfpack got on the scoreboard when Meredith Burroughs led off the fourth inning with a shot over the right field fence to make it a 2-1 game.
The Cards used three hits and an error to put up four runs in the fourth. Sophomore Nicole Pufahl started the inning with a double and McNary's bunt single placed runners on the corners for Melton's sacrifice fly. Becker reached on an error which sent McNary home to make the score 4-1. After a walk to Hensley, Lillie Goetz's two run double made the score 6-1.
The fifth inning brought four more Louisville runs highlighted by Hensley's three-run walk-off homer. Sophomore Ashley Nikolao registered a pinch-hit single and Pufahl followed with another hit. An error on McNary's sacrifice bunt attempt sent Nikolao home and put two runners on for Hensley's team-leading seventh homer of the season which lifted the Cards to a 10-1 win.
Becker (10-4) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out six in five innings. McNary went 2 for 2 with a triple, two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases and Pufahl went 2 for 3 with two runs to help lead the Cards offensively.
Courtney Mirabella (9-8) took the loss, allowing 10 runs, four earned, on 10 hits and striking out one in 4.2 innings of play. Burroughs, Tyler Ross and Alyssa Compton each had a hit for the Wolfpack.
Louisville 12 - NC State 9
In game two, sophomore Sidney Melton went 4 for 5 with three runs and an RBI as the Cardinals defeated the Wolfpack 12-9 in a slugfest that saw a combined 25 hits.
The Wolfpack jumped to a 2-0 lead. Tyler Ross drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Pinch-runner Brittany Nimmo came home on a single by Meredith Burroughs. Hannah Yeager doubled Burroughs home.
The Cardinals answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with an infield hit and junior Maryssa Becker followed with a single to place runner on the corners for freshman Megan Hensley whose grounder plated Melton. After a walk to sophomore Jenna Jordan, an RBI single by Brittany Sims evened the score at 2-2.
NC State regained the lead behind Nimmo's two-run homer in the top of the second. Lana Van Dyken was hit by a pitch to set up the two-run shot which gave the Wolfpack a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Louisville erupted for seven runs, using six hits and an error to take a 9-4 lead. McNary reached on a fielder's choice and Melton followed with a hit. Becker's RBI hit plated McNary. An error allowed Hensley to reach and sent Melton home. After a single by Goetz loaded the bases, Sims drew a walk to score Becker. Pufahl connected on a two-run single and Melton added an RBI hit.
The Wolfpack chipped away at the lead starting with two runs in the third. Maggie Hawkins reached on a fielder's choice and Hannah Yeager walked to set up Alyssa Compton's two-run double.
NC State capitalized on three hits and an error to put up three more runs in the fifth. Yeager and Cheyenne Balzer delivered back-to-back singles and Compton reached on an error which brought Yeager home. Molly Hutchison's RBI single and Burroughs' bases-loaded walk tied the game at 9-9
After two straight scoreless innings, the Cardinals reignited their offense with a pair of runs in the fifth. Back-to-back walks to Becker and Hensley set up RBI hits by sophomore Jenna Jordan's and Sims to put Louisville back on top 11-9.
The Cards capped the scoring with a run in the sixth. Melton connected on her fourth hit of the game, stole second and came home on Hensley's single for the 12-9 final.
Hensley (11-2) got the win, allowing nine runs, six earned, on 10 hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings. Becker gave up only one hit in two innings while collecting her second save of the season. Sims went 2 for 2 with three RBIs and a run. Becker and Pufahl also had two hits apiece in the game.
Mirabella (9-9) took the loss after giving up three earned runs on four hits in two innings of relief. Burroughs went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI and Yeager was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI to lead the Wolfpack at the plate.
NOTES:
• The Cardinals clinched their third straight ACC series.
• Louisville extended its win streak to a season-high nine games.
• Junior Maryssa Becker has picked up wins in her last five appearances in the circle
• Becker has reached safely via a hit or walk in 26 of her 27 games played this season
• Freshman Lillie Goetz has reached safely via a hit or walk in 15 straight games
• Melton set a career high in hits (four) and runs (three); she is now 11 for 11 in stolen bases
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Becker, Maryssa (10-4)
L: Courtney Mirabella (9-8)
Batting:
HR: Meredith Burroughs 1
RBI: Meredith Burroughs 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meredith Burroughs 1
Batting:
2B: Goetz, Lillie 1 ; Pufahl, Nicole 1
3B: McNary, Jordan 1
HR: Hensley, Megan 1
RBI: Melton, Sidney 1 ; Hensley, Megan 3 ; Goetz, Lillie 3 ; McNary, Jordan 1
SH: McNary, Jordan 1
SF: Melton, Sidney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melton, Sidney 1 ; Adell, Jessica 1 ; Hensley, Megan 2 ; Sims, Brittany 1 ; Nikolao, Ashley 1 ; Pufahl, Nicole 2 ; McNary, Jordan 2
SB: McNary, Jordan 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP/1B
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
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