Softball Downs Georgia Tech 5-4

Sunday, March 6

Louisville, Ky.

12:00 PM

University of Louisville

13-6, 0

Georgia Tech

5-11, 0

Georgia Tech

Louisville

March 06, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

Becker fans 11 and drives in game-winning run as Cards take their opening ACC series

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team defeated Georgia Tech 5-4 to win its ACC-opening series Sunday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Cardinals improve to 13-6 (2-1 ACC) while the Yellow Jackets drop to 5-11 (1-2).

Junior Maryssa Becker got the win in the circle and drove in the winning run with the Cards down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth to help Louisville improve to 2-1 in ACC play.

After two and a half scoreless innings, the Cards finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the third. Freshman Lillie Goetz reached on a fielder's choice and took second when Becker was hit by a pitch. Freshman Megan Hensley's RBI single plated Goetz to give Louisville a 1-0 lead.

Louisville added two more runs - all with two outs - in the fifth. Goetz opened home half of the inning with a single. Groundouts by Becker and Hensley moved her to third and she scored on sophomore Nicole Pufahl's double. A hit by senior Brittany Sims brought Pufahl home to make the score 3-0.

Georgia Tech used four hits and an error to put up a four-spot in the top of the sixth. Samantha Pierannunzi got the scoring started when she drove a one-out shot over the fence in left centerfield to make it a 3-1 game. Kelsey Chisholm followed with a walk. Draven Sonnon beat the throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt, but an error on the play sent Chisholm to third. Courtney Ziese singled Chisholm home to cut the lead to one run. A walk to Jessica Kowalewicz loaded the bases with one out. Becker got Jordan Deep to hit into a fielder's choice that saw Sonnon out at the plate for the second out of the inning, but Katie Krzus's two-run single put the Yellow Jackets on top 4-3.

The Cards answered in their half of the inning. Senior Hailey Smith led off with a hit and was safe at second when sophomore Sidney Melton reached on a fielder's choice. Goetz earned a walk to load the bases for Becker's two-run single which made the score 5-4.

Becker (5-3) allowed four earned runs on six hits and tied her career high with 11 strikeouts en route to the win - she also finished the game with a 1 for 3, two RBI performance at the plate. Smith went 2 for 3 in the game. Hensley picked up her first career save after giving up one hit and striking out two in the seventh inning.

Emily Anderson (4-7) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on nine hits and striking out two in 6.0 innings of work. Krzus went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs to lead Georgia Tech offensively.

"My hat's off to Georgia Tech and their pitcher - she threw every inning of every game this weekend and she did a great job," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "For us, it was a matter of trying to get our pitching on track. We kind of struggled yesterday, I thought Maryssa Becker did a great job today and that's what we needed from her."

The Cardinals will continue their homestand this weekend when they play host to Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Dayton, Eastern Kentucky and No. 2 Michigan in the Louisville Softball Classic which will be held March 10-13 at Ulmer Stadium.