Softball Falls 3-2 to Nebraska in Columbia Regional Opener

Thursday, May 19

Columbia, Mo.

5:30 PM

University of Louisville

35-16

Nebraska

34-19

Louisville

Nebraska

Softball Falls 3-2 to Nebraska in Columbia Regional Opener

May 19, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

Cards lose a heartbreaker on a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Louisville softball team lost a 3-2 heartbreaker to Nebraska in the first round of the NCAA Columbia Regional on Thursday evening.

Louisville (35-16) will face BYU on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (ET) in an elimination game. The Cougars lost 9-0 to host Missouri in the regional's other first round matchup.

The Cardinals rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game at 2-2 in the third, but the Huskers used a hit, an error and an intentional walk to load the bases for MJ Knighten's RBI hit in the bottom of the seventh.

The Huskers broke through with two runs in the bottom of the second when Austen Urness drew a two-out walk and Madi Unzicker followed with a shot over the left field fence.

Louisville answered in the third courtesy of senior Hailey Smith's two run hit. Junior Morgan Meyer was safe on a bunt single and junior Sidney Melton followed with a walk. After a groundout by junior Jordan McNary moved the runners, junior Maryssa Becker was intentionally walked to load the bases for Smith who sent a single to centerfield to even the score at 2-2.

Louisville staved off a Nebraska scoring attempt in the fifth when back-to-back hits by Laura Barrow and Kiki Stokes put two runners on with no outs in the inning. Becker delivered a strikeout to Knighten for the first out and got Mattie Fowler to hit into a double play to end the inning.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Arness delivered a leadoff hit and an error on Uricker's sacrifice bunt and a groundout by Barrow moved the runners to second and third. Stokes was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Stokes was intentionally walked to load the bases for Knighten who sent a ball pass a diving Melton at shortstop to bring home the go-ahead run.

"Clearly, we just didn't get the job done. We made a crucial mistake in the seventh inning that didn't help us," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I thought our team did a great job coming back in and tying up the game. We just needed to get a little more offense going."

Becker (20-11) took the loss after surrendering three earned runs on eight hits and striking out two in 6.1 innings, she also went 2 for 2 at the plate. Smith was 1 for 3 with two RBIs.

Emily Lockman (10-4) got the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out two in seven innings. Stokes, Knightman and Barrow each had two hits in the game.