Softball Hosts Georgia Tech in ACC Opener
March 04, 2016 | Softball
Cards will play a doubleheader at 12 p.m. Saturday and a single game Sunday at 12 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium
The University of Louisville softball team will play host Georgia Tech in its opening Atlantic Coast Conference series this weekend. The teams will meet in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Saturday and will play a single game Sunday at 12 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. Admission is free.
Series Info: Georgia Tech at Louisville
Date: March 5-6, 2016
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Ulmer Stadium
Promotions: March 5 - Sunglasses for first 250 fans; March 6- First set of player trading cards for first 100 fans
Live scoring: GoCards.com
Twitter updates: @UofLSoftball
About Louisville:
The Cardinals bring an 11-5 record into the weekend after splitting a doubleheader at Lipscomb on Wednesday.
Freshman Megan Hensley leads the team with a .420 batting average, six home runs and 12 runs. Junior Maryssa Becker follows with a .378 batting average and has a team-best 16 RBIs.
Hensley (8-1) carries a 1.70 ERA and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average. Becker (3-4) leads the pitching staff with 56 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.
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
The Cardinals are 11-5 in conference openers since their inaugural season (2000).
Maryssa Becker has reached via a hit or walk in 15 of Louisville's 16 games.
Becker recently registered her 100th career hit in the 3-0 loss to Nebraska on Feb. 21.
Louisville has outscored opponents 85-40.
Georgia Tech
Series Record: Louisville leads 4-0
Last meeting: March 1, 2015 - Louisville defeated Georgia Tech 15-2 in six innings in Atlanta last season to finish off a three-game sweep of the Yellow Jackets, outscoring them 26-7.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets: Georgia Tech enters the weekend with a 4-9 record, and is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Mercer. on Wednesday. Georgia Tech boasts two wins over Southern Utah and two wins over Mercer, while dropping four games in the ACC/BigTen Challenge to Ohio State and Purdue. The Yellow Jackets have played in eight games this season decided by two-runs or less, with a record of 2-6 in those games.
The Yellow Jackets are led offensively by Samantha Pierannunzi with a .289 batting average with two home runs and three RBIs. Draven Sonnon carries a batting average of .212 with two home runs and a team leading six RBIs. In the circle, Emily Anderson has a 2.72 ERA in 56.2 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .262 batting average with 47 strikeouts.
Up next
Following this weekend, the Cards will host the 2016 Louisville Softball Classic March 10-13. The tournament field includes: Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Dayton, Eastern Kentucky and No. 2 Michigan.
Last time out
Lipscomb 2 - Louisville 1
Becker took the loss allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits and striking out seven in 6.0 innings of play. Becker, Hensley, Goetz and Sims each had a hit in the game.
Louisville 7 - Lipscomb 1
Freshman Lillie Goetz went 3 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs and fellow freshman Megan Hensley had a home run and registered a career-high seven strikeouts to get the win in the circle as the Cardinals beat Lipscomb 7-1.
Stingy pitching
The Cards have been impressive in the circle through their first month of the season. Louisville's pitching staff has posted a combined 1.65 ERA and held opponents to a .210 batting average while striking out 74 in 97.1 innings.
Junior Maryssa Becker (3-4) carries a 1.71 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of work. Freshman
Megan Hensley leads the team with a 8-1 record and carries a 1.70 ERA and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average.
Louisville leads the ACC and stands 10th in the nation with a 1.65 ERA.
The Cardinals also lead the league with a .210 opposing batting average.
Hensley stands sixth in the nation with eight victories.
Becker is ranked 25th in the nation with 56 strikeouts.
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.
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)
Series Info: Georgia Tech at Louisville
Date: March 5-6, 2016
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Ulmer Stadium
Promotions: March 5 - Sunglasses for first 250 fans; March 6- First set of player trading cards for first 100 fans
Live scoring: GoCards.com
Twitter updates: @UofLSoftball
About Louisville:
The Cardinals bring an 11-5 record into the weekend after splitting a doubleheader at Lipscomb on Wednesday.
Freshman Megan Hensley leads the team with a .420 batting average, six home runs and 12 runs. Junior Maryssa Becker follows with a .378 batting average and has a team-best 16 RBIs.
Hensley (8-1) carries a 1.70 ERA and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average. Becker (3-4) leads the pitching staff with 56 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.
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
The Cardinals are 11-5 in conference openers since their inaugural season (2000).
Maryssa Becker has reached via a hit or walk in 15 of Louisville's 16 games.
Becker recently registered her 100th career hit in the 3-0 loss to Nebraska on Feb. 21.
Louisville has outscored opponents 85-40.
Georgia Tech
Series Record: Louisville leads 4-0
Last meeting: March 1, 2015 - Louisville defeated Georgia Tech 15-2 in six innings in Atlanta last season to finish off a three-game sweep of the Yellow Jackets, outscoring them 26-7.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets: Georgia Tech enters the weekend with a 4-9 record, and is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Mercer. on Wednesday. Georgia Tech boasts two wins over Southern Utah and two wins over Mercer, while dropping four games in the ACC/BigTen Challenge to Ohio State and Purdue. The Yellow Jackets have played in eight games this season decided by two-runs or less, with a record of 2-6 in those games.
The Yellow Jackets are led offensively by Samantha Pierannunzi with a .289 batting average with two home runs and three RBIs. Draven Sonnon carries a batting average of .212 with two home runs and a team leading six RBIs. In the circle, Emily Anderson has a 2.72 ERA in 56.2 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .262 batting average with 47 strikeouts.
Up next
Following this weekend, the Cards will host the 2016 Louisville Softball Classic March 10-13. The tournament field includes: Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Dayton, Eastern Kentucky and No. 2 Michigan.
Last time out
Lipscomb 2 - Louisville 1
Becker took the loss allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits and striking out seven in 6.0 innings of play. Becker, Hensley, Goetz and Sims each had a hit in the game.
Louisville 7 - Lipscomb 1
Freshman Lillie Goetz went 3 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs and fellow freshman Megan Hensley had a home run and registered a career-high seven strikeouts to get the win in the circle as the Cardinals beat Lipscomb 7-1.
Stingy pitching
The Cards have been impressive in the circle through their first month of the season. Louisville's pitching staff has posted a combined 1.65 ERA and held opponents to a .210 batting average while striking out 74 in 97.1 innings.
Junior Maryssa Becker (3-4) carries a 1.71 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of work. Freshman
Megan Hensley leads the team with a 8-1 record and carries a 1.70 ERA and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average.
Louisville leads the ACC and stands 10th in the nation with a 1.65 ERA.
The Cardinals also lead the league with a .210 opposing batting average.
Hensley stands sixth in the nation with eight victories.
Becker is ranked 25th in the nation with 56 strikeouts.
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.
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)
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
RHP/1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
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