Softball Clinches Virginia Tech Series

Sunday, April 10

Louisville, Ky.

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

25-9, 0

Virginia Tech

21-18, 0

Virginia Tech

Louisville

April 10, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Cards fall 4-0 in game one, but hold on for 2-1 win in game to clinch the ACC series

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 4-0 to Virginia Tech in game one of an ACC doubleheader, but came back to clinch the series with a 2-1 victory in the rubber game Sunday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium.

"For us to win the series was great, (Virginia Tech) is a very good team and they're playing well this year," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "They have a great pitcher on the mound, so I'm very pleased with what we did today. We did play much better defense in that second game and we needed to in order to pull that one out, because we knew it was going to be a close game."

Virginia Tech 4 – Louisville 0
The Cardinals were held scoreless for only the third time this season and left five runners on as Virginia Tech's Maggie Tyler (16-10) struck out seven in a complete game three-hit shutout to pull the Hokies even in the ACC series.

The Hokies struck early with an unearned run in the first. Olivia Lattin singled and took second on Lauren Duff's fielder's choice. An error on Caitlyn Nolan's grounder sent Lattin home.

Virginia Tech added another run in the fourth when Duff singled and moved to third on Nolan's hit. Duff was safe at the plate on Vanessa Gonzalez's sacrifice bunt attempt to make the score 2-0.

The Cards had a scoring opportunity in the fifth when sophomore Nicole Pufahl reached on a leadoff error and took second on Brittany Sims' sacrifice bunt. Junior Jordan McNary beat the throw on an infield hit to put runners on the corners, but was caught stealing second to end the inning.

The sixth inning brought a pair of runs for the Hokies. Back-to-back doubles by Katey Smith and Duff scored pinch runner Whitney Saunders. Duff crossed the plate on a hit by Gonzalez to increase the lead to 4-0.

Louisville threatened to score again, but left runners on first and third in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Hailey Smith led off with a single and an error on the play sent her to second. Pufahl reached on another miscue to put runners on the corners with one out, but Tyler delivered a strikeout and got a groundout to end the game.

Junior Maryssa Becker (14-6) took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and striking out five in seven innings. Freshman Megan Hensley, McNary and Smith each had a hit for the Cards.

Duff led the Hokies offensively going 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI while Gonzalez was 1 for 2 with two RBIs.

Louisville 2 – Virginia Tech 1
In game two of the doubleheader, the Cardinals scored two runs in the second inning and held on for a 2-1 win to clinch the series.

The Cards took an early lead with a pair of runs in the secon. Smith drew a leadoff walk and took second on Pufahl's sacrifice bunt. Sims followed with an RBI double to put Louisville on the scoreboard. Junior Morgan Meyer reached on an error which sent Sims home to make the score 2-0.

Louisville had another opportunity to score in the fourth. Sims reached on a fielder's choice, Meyer singled and sophomore Ashley Nikolao walked to load the bases, but freshman Lillie Goetz's fielder's choice saw Meyer out at third to end the inning.

After allowing a one-out hit to Gonzalez in the second, freshman starting pitcher Megan Hensley went on to retire the next 11 batters she faced until the top of the sixth when Breanna Davenport connected on a leadoff double. Two outs later Duff walked to put two runners on for Nolan's RBI double which brought the tying run to third. Hensley got Emma Strouth to pop up to shortstop Sidney Melton to end the threat.

The Hokies had one last chance to score in the seventh when Caroline Schoenewald registered a one-out double to put the tying run in scoring position. Becker entered the game to pitch in relief of Hensley and got Kelsey Mericka to fly out to right field, but Schoenewald advanced to third on the play. Becker got Davenport to groundout to end the game and picked up her third save of the season.

Hensley (12-3) allowed one earned run on five hits in 6.1 innings while Becker picked up her third save of the season as the Cards (26-9) improved to 11-4 in ACC play and into sole possession of second place in league standings. Sims was 1 for 3 with a double, a run and an RBI to lead the Cards at the plate.

Tyler (16-11) took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits and striking out five in 6.0 innings of work.

Louisville (26-9, 11-4) returns to action on Tuesday when the Cards travel to Bloomington, Ind., for a matchup with Indiana University.