Softball Earns Doubleheader Split at No. 18/19 Notre Dame

Sunday, May 1

South Bend, Ind.

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

Notre Dame

Softball Earns Doubleheader Split at No. 18/19 Notre Dame

May 01, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Cards' seventh inning rally falls short in 8-7 loss in game one, but they rebound for an 8-3 win in game two and remain in second place in the ACC

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Louisville softball team split a doubleheader with No. 18/19 Notre Dame Sunday afternoon at Melissa Cook Stadium. In game one, the Cards saw a seventh inning rally fall short in an 8-7 loss, but they rebounded to take game two by a score of 8-3. Louisville (33-12, 14-6) remains second in ACC standings, while Notre Dame (37-9, 11-6) stays in third place.

"I'm really proud of how our team fought back in the first game and with how aggressive we were offensively all day on the road against a very tough Notre Dame team," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I think we our offense and our pitching came together in the second game."

Notre Dame 8 – Louisville 7
In a roller-coaster game that saw three lead changes and two ties through six innings, the Cards entered the top of the seventh down 8-3 and put together a four-run rally, but could not overcome the deficit in an 8-7 loss to the Irish. Louisville tallied a season-high 15 hits including three doubles and a home run in the contest.

Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Ali Wester singled and took second on a groundout by Micaela Arizmendi to set up Caitlyn Brooks' two-out RBI hit.

The Cards got the run back in the top of the second. Back-to-back one-out hits by senior Hailey Smith and junior Morgan Meyer put two runners on. Smith was safe at third on junior Jordan McNary's fielder's choice to bring up Maryssa Becker whose groundout brought Smith home to even the score at 1-1.

The Irish answered with Morgan Reed's leadoff home run in the bottom of the second which put her team back on top 2-1.

Louisville responded with a pair of runs behind sophomore Jenna Jordan's two-run single in the third. Freshman Lillie Goetz led off the frame with a double. Sophomore Nicole Pufahl's base hit put runners on the corners for McNary who sent a grounder to second base. Notre Dame's Ali Wester fielded the ball and threw to catcher Maddie McCracken who tagged Goetz out at the plate, but sent two runners into scoring position on the play. Jordan followed with a hit to centerfield to pull the Cards ahead 3-2.

Reed drove her second homer of the game over the left field fence to tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth.

Notre Dame used two hits and aggressive base running to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Bailey Bigler started the home half of the inning with a bunt single and took second on Karley Wester's groundout. Ali Wester followed with a bloop single. Bigler was safe on a play at the plate and the speedy Wester moved to third on the throw. Micaela Arizmendi followed with an RBI groundout to give the Irish a 5-3 lead.

The bottom of the sixth brought three more runs for the Irish. Kimmy Sullivan led off with a solo home run. Reed and McCracken each singled to set up Megan Sorlie's two-run double which made the score 8-3.

The Cards rallied for four runs – all with two outs - in the top of the seventh. Pufahl reached on a fielder's choice and sprinted home on Jordan's base hit to centerfield. Smith followed with a shot over the right field fence her second homer of the season. After a pinch-hit single by sophomore Ashley Nikolao, junior Morgan Meyer re-entered to run and came home on McNary's double to make the scuorre 8-7 and bring the tying run into scoring position, but reliever Rachel Nasland got a groundout to end the game.

Louisville had an early scoring opportunity when Becker walked and Goetz and Pufahl delivered back-to-back two-out singles to load the bases, but Notre Dame starter Allie Rhodes fly-out to hold the Cardinals at bay. The Cards stranded 10 runners in the game.

Becker (19-8) took the loss after giving up eight earned runs on 11 hits and striking out two in six innings. Jordan was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs. Smith went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs. Goetz had three hits in the game.

Katie Beriont (6-2) got the win, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and striking out three in 4 and 1/3 innings of relief. Rachel Nasland retired the only batter she faced in the seventh to get the save. Reed went 3 for 3 with two home runs and scored three runs to pace the Irish offensively.

Louisville 8 – Notre Dame 3
In game two, Smith went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to help Cards to an 8-3 win. Louisville built a 4-0 lead through two and a half innings, but the Irish chipped away to pull within a run before a four-run sixth inning put the game away for the Cards to even the series a one game apiece.

After scoring four runs in the seventh inning of game one, the Louisville picked up where it left off by jumping on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the first inning of game two. Goetz singled and Hensley walked to set up Pufahl's two-run single.

Louisville tacked on another run when Smith led off the second with a hit and Meyer's single put runners on the corners for McNary's sacrifice fly which increased the lead to 3-0.

The Cardinals' scoring continued into the third inning. Sims walked and Smith registered a hit to bring up junior Morgan Meyer who connected on an RBI single to make the score 4-0.

The Irish cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third. Bigler was hit by a pitch and Wexter was safe on a bunt single. Both runners moved into scoring position on Ali Wester's sacrifice bunt to set up Micaela Arizmendi's two-run single.

Arizmendi delivered her third RBI in the game with a two-out solo home run in the fifth to bring the Irish within a run and make the score 4-3.

The Cards used five hits and a walk to tack on four insurance runs in the sixth. Goetz got the inning started with a walk and Hensley followed with a hit. Becker's two-run single brought her season RBI total to 56, tying her for the lead on Louisville's single-season RBI list. One out later, Sims singled and Nikolao was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Smith's third hit of the game, a two-run single which plated pinch-runners junior Tiarra Sanabria and Michala Riggle to push the Cards' lead to 8-3.

Notre Dame threatened in the bottom of the sixth. The home half of the inning started when Sullivan sent a shot to right field, but Meyer gave chase and made a jumping catch at the fence to stop a potential home run for the first out of the inning. A hit by Reed and a walk to McCracken put two runners on with one out. Becker entered to pitch in relief of Hensley and got Sorlie to groundout, but moved both runners into scoring position. Becker went on to retire the next four batters she faced to secure the 8-3 victory.

Hensley (14-4) got the win, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and striking out two in 5 and 1/3 innings. Becker went 2 for 5 with two RBIs. Pufahl also had two RBIs while Sims, Hensley and Goetz each had a pair of runs in the game.

Hensley (14-4) got the win, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and striking out two in 5 and 1/3 innings. Becker went 2 for 5 with two RBIs. Pufahl also had two RBIs while Sims, Hensley and Goetz each had a pair of runs in the game.

Rachel Nasland (13-2) took the loss after giving up four earned runs on six hits and striking out one in 2.2 innings. Arizmendi when 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

NOTES: With her two RBIs in game two, Becker now has 56 on the season and is tied for first on Louisville's single season list. She also has 120 career RBIs and moves into tenth on Louisville's all-time list.

Becker has now reached via a hit or a walk in the last 11 games and in all but two of Louisville's 45 games on the season.
The series between Louisville and Notre Dame remains tied with each team collecting 15 wins since the first meeting in 2002.