Saturday, March 26
Louisville, Ky.
12:00 PM
University of Louisville
22-6, 0
19
vs
3
NC STATE
15-18, 0
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5
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H
E
NC State
0
0
3
0
0
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Louisville
4
0
15
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X
19
13
0
Fifteen-Run Third Inning Propels Softball Past NC State 19-3
March 26, 2016 | Softball
Grand slams by Goetz and Becker highlight a 15-run third inning
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A 15-run third inning that featured grand slams by freshman Lillie Goetz and junior Maryssa Becker propelled the University of Louisville softball team to a 19-3 win over North Carolina State in the finale of a three-game ACC series on Sunday at Ulmer Stadium. The victory completed a three-game sweep for the Cardinals (22-6) and improved their conference record to 8-1.
Becker (11-4) earned her sixth straight win with four strikeouts in the circle and collected five RBIs in the game while Goetz went 2 for 4 with her first home run and a career-best four RBIs. Senior Brittany Sims went 1 for 2 with three RBIs and sophomores Sidney Melton, Jenna Jordan and junior Sarah Lopesilvero had two hits apiece for the Cards who totaled 12 hits in the game.
The Cards jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with a single and junior Maryssa Becker was hit by a pitch. A double-steal moved both runners into scoring position for freshman Megan Hensley's sacrifice fly to left field which plated Melton. After a walk to freshman Lillie Goetz, sophomore Jenna Jordan connected on an RBI double to put runners at second and third. Senior Brittany Sims sent a fly ball into shallow left field which Wolfpack shortstop Alyssa Compton corralled, but Goetz sprinted home on the second sacrifice fly of the inning. Junior Sarah Lopesilvero's base hit plated Jordan to cap the first inning offense.
The Wolfpack (15-18, 2-4) answered in the top of the third. Compton got the inning started with NC State's first hit of the game. One out later, Lana Van Dyken singled and Molly Hutchison followed with a two-run double to cut the lead in half. Hanna Sommer's RBI hit pulled the Wolfpack within a run.
Louisville erupted for 15 runs in the third courtesy of six walks, two errors and eight hits - including a school-record two grand slams - to take a 19-3 lead. The Cards batted around the order twice. Lopesilvero started the inning with a double and four straight walks to McNary, Melton, Becker and Hensley gave UofL a 5-3 lead and kept the bases loaded for Goetz who crushed a shot over the right field fence for her first career home run - and grand slam to make the score 9-3. Jordan singled, Sims walked and Lopesilvero reached on an error to load the bases. Sophomore Nicole Pufahl delivered a shot past the third baseman to send Jordan home. Another miscue allowed McNary to reach and scored Sims. Melton added an RBI single to load the bases again for Becker who sent a shot over the left field fence for her fourth homer of the season - and first career grand slam - to put the Cards up 16-3. Hensley's RBI hit and Sims' two-run single brought the score to 19-3.
Becker allowed three earned runs on four hits and struck out four in 5.0 innings.
Courtney Mirabella (9-9) took the loss, allowing 17 runs, nine earned, on 13 hits in 3.0 innings. Hutchison went 1 for 2 with two RBIs to lead the Wolfpack.
Louisville returns to action with a trip to Bowling Green, Ky., to face Western Kentucky in a midweek game on Wednesday.
NOTES: Louisville extends is win streak to a season-high 10 games - the most since the 2013 season when the Cards put together a 15-game win streak that spanned from March 30 through April 21.
Becker (11-4) earned her sixth straight win with four strikeouts in the circle and collected five RBIs in the game while Goetz went 2 for 4 with her first home run and a career-best four RBIs. Senior Brittany Sims went 1 for 2 with three RBIs and sophomores Sidney Melton, Jenna Jordan and junior Sarah Lopesilvero had two hits apiece for the Cards who totaled 12 hits in the game.
The Cards jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Sidney Melton led off with a single and junior Maryssa Becker was hit by a pitch. A double-steal moved both runners into scoring position for freshman Megan Hensley's sacrifice fly to left field which plated Melton. After a walk to freshman Lillie Goetz, sophomore Jenna Jordan connected on an RBI double to put runners at second and third. Senior Brittany Sims sent a fly ball into shallow left field which Wolfpack shortstop Alyssa Compton corralled, but Goetz sprinted home on the second sacrifice fly of the inning. Junior Sarah Lopesilvero's base hit plated Jordan to cap the first inning offense.
The Wolfpack (15-18, 2-4) answered in the top of the third. Compton got the inning started with NC State's first hit of the game. One out later, Lana Van Dyken singled and Molly Hutchison followed with a two-run double to cut the lead in half. Hanna Sommer's RBI hit pulled the Wolfpack within a run.
Louisville erupted for 15 runs in the third courtesy of six walks, two errors and eight hits - including a school-record two grand slams - to take a 19-3 lead. The Cards batted around the order twice. Lopesilvero started the inning with a double and four straight walks to McNary, Melton, Becker and Hensley gave UofL a 5-3 lead and kept the bases loaded for Goetz who crushed a shot over the right field fence for her first career home run - and grand slam to make the score 9-3. Jordan singled, Sims walked and Lopesilvero reached on an error to load the bases. Sophomore Nicole Pufahl delivered a shot past the third baseman to send Jordan home. Another miscue allowed McNary to reach and scored Sims. Melton added an RBI single to load the bases again for Becker who sent a shot over the left field fence for her fourth homer of the season - and first career grand slam - to put the Cards up 16-3. Hensley's RBI hit and Sims' two-run single brought the score to 19-3.
Becker allowed three earned runs on four hits and struck out four in 5.0 innings.
Courtney Mirabella (9-9) took the loss, allowing 17 runs, nine earned, on 13 hits in 3.0 innings. Hutchison went 1 for 2 with two RBIs to lead the Wolfpack.
Louisville returns to action with a trip to Bowling Green, Ky., to face Western Kentucky in a midweek game on Wednesday.
NOTES: Louisville extends is win streak to a season-high 10 games - the most since the 2013 season when the Cards put together a 15-game win streak that spanned from March 30 through April 21.
- The 19 runs are the second most in school history behind a 22-4 win over Ohio University on March 9, 2014.
- The two grand slams in the third inning marked the first time in program history that Louisville has hit a pair of grand slams in the same inning - or game.
- Goetz's grand slam was the first since March 9, 2015 when Kayla Soles hit one against Illinois State.
- Becker has now reached via a hit or walk in 27 of Louisville's 28 games.
- Goetz has now reached via a hit or walk in 15 straight games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Becker, Maryssa (11-4)
L: Courtney Mirabella (9-9)
Batting:
2B: Molly Hutchison 1
RBI: Molly Hutchison 2 ; Hanna Sommer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lana Van Dyken 1 ; Molly Hutchison 1 ; Alyssa Compton 1
Batting:
2B: Jordan, Jenna 1 ; Lopesilvero, Sarah 1
HR: Becker, Maryssa 1 ; Goetz, Lillie 1
RBI: Melton, Sidney 1 ; Becker, Maryssa 5 ; Hensley, Megan 2 ; Goetz, Lillie 4 ; Jordan, Jenna 1 ; Sims, Brittany 3 ; Lopesilvero, Sarah 1 ; Pufahl, Nicole 1
SF: Hensley, Megan 1 ; Sims, Brittany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melton, Sidney 3 ; Becker, Maryssa 3 ; Hensley, Megan 2 ; Goetz, Lillie 3 ; Jordan, Jenna 2 ; Sims, Brittany 1 ; Lopesilvero, Sarah 2 ; Pufahl, Nicole 1 ; McNary, Jordan 2
SB: Melton, Sidney 1 ; Becker, Maryssa 1
HBP: Becker, Maryssa 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP/1B
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
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