
Softball Picks Up Two Wins to Open the Fall Season
September 24, 2016 | Softball
Cards beat Bellarmine 8-3 and Lake Land 10-2
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team opened the 2016-17 fall season with a pair of wins Saturday at Ulmer Stadium. The Cardinals began the day with an 8-3 win over Bellarmine and followed with a 10-2 victory over Lake Land.
Â
"I was very pleased with our play in the first weekend of the fall," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We had some great defensive play and showed some great offense. I was happy with our pitching staff in general."
Â
Louisville 8 – Bellarmine 3
Maryssa Becker went 3 for 3 at the plate and got the win in the circle as the Cards cranked out 15 hits in their fall opener.
Â
The Cardinals scored a run in each of the first two innings. Senior Jordan McNary's RBI hit plated junior Sidney Melton to give Louisville a 1-0 lead in the first. Junior Jamie Soles led off the second with a hit and came around to score on an error to increase the lead to 2-0.
Â
Louisville took advantage of five hits, including triples by junior Nicole Pufahl and Melton, to put up a four-spot in the third. The fourth inning brought two more runs as Pufahl's RBI hit plated freshman Celene Funke and Soles singled Pufahl home to give the Cards an 8-0 lead.
Â
The Knights got on the scoreboard with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh. A walk and an error placed Rachel Ayer and Sabrina Fussenegger on for Erica Knollman's sacrifice bunt. A two-out RBI single by Megan Bretz and a two-run double by Allison Woosley brought the score to 8-3.
Â
In the game, Soles went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs in the game while McNary went 3 for 4 with two runs. Becker got the start in the circle and held the Knights scoreless on three hits and struck out five in five innings of work. Freshman Sydney Warinner allowed three unearned runs on two hits in two innings of relief.
Â
Madeline Kurtz took the loss after giving up eight runs, seven earned, on 15 hits in six innings. Bretz paced the Knights with a 2 for 4 performance at the plate. Woosley went 1 for 1 with a pair of RBIs in the game.
Â
Louisville 10 – Lake Land 2
Sophomore Lillie Goetz went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and fellow sophomore Megan Hensley had a two-run home to help her own cause in the circle as the Cards defeated Lake Land 10-2.
Â
Louisville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Pufahl singled and scored on a double by sophomore Michala Riggle.
Â
The Lakers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Chloe Wigington was hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning and moved to third when Addison Baele reached on an error. Bailey Gowen walked to load the bases. Wigington came home on an illegal pitch and Baele was safe on a play at the plate during a double steal to give Lake Land a 2-1 lead.
Â
The Cards answered with four runs in the home half of the inning. Melton delivered a leadoff single, stole second and took third when McNary reached on an error. A double steal sent Melton home to even the score at 2-2. An RBI single by Hensley and a two-run hit by Goetz made the score 5-2.
Â
In the sixth inning, Hensley's two-run shot increased UofL's lead to 7-2.
Â
Louisville tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Riggle was hit by a pitch and proceeded to steal second. Junior Ashley Nikolao walked and a double steal placed both runners in scoring position for a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Blaire Bass. An RBI hit by senior Morgan Meyer and McNary's triple plated the final two runs of the game to give the Cards the 10-2 win.
Â
Hensley got the win in the circle, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out seven in five innings. Freshman Sydney Warriner did not allow a hit and struck out two in two innings of relief.
Â
"We had some miscues out there, but what really impressed me was watching Sydney Warriner take the mound in the second game, we saw what she's capable of doing," said Pearsall. "I'm excited about our newcomers as well. While we saw a lot of good things out there, what we need to do is work on the base paths. We need to continue to work on knowing what the situation is and getting the hits we need in the situation. By and large, we had a very good weekend."
Â
UofL returns to action on Oct. 1 when Bellarmine and Walter's State visit Ulmer Stadium for the final tournament of the 2016-17 fall season.
Â
October 1 Schedule
10:00 a.m. Â - Bellarmine vs. Louisville
12:00 p.m. – Walter's State vs. Louisville
2:00 p.m. – Walter's State vs. Bellarmine
Â
Â
Â
Â
"I was very pleased with our play in the first weekend of the fall," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We had some great defensive play and showed some great offense. I was happy with our pitching staff in general."
Â
Louisville 8 – Bellarmine 3
Maryssa Becker went 3 for 3 at the plate and got the win in the circle as the Cards cranked out 15 hits in their fall opener.
Â
The Cardinals scored a run in each of the first two innings. Senior Jordan McNary's RBI hit plated junior Sidney Melton to give Louisville a 1-0 lead in the first. Junior Jamie Soles led off the second with a hit and came around to score on an error to increase the lead to 2-0.
Â
Louisville took advantage of five hits, including triples by junior Nicole Pufahl and Melton, to put up a four-spot in the third. The fourth inning brought two more runs as Pufahl's RBI hit plated freshman Celene Funke and Soles singled Pufahl home to give the Cards an 8-0 lead.
Â
The Knights got on the scoreboard with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh. A walk and an error placed Rachel Ayer and Sabrina Fussenegger on for Erica Knollman's sacrifice bunt. A two-out RBI single by Megan Bretz and a two-run double by Allison Woosley brought the score to 8-3.
Â
In the game, Soles went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs in the game while McNary went 3 for 4 with two runs. Becker got the start in the circle and held the Knights scoreless on three hits and struck out five in five innings of work. Freshman Sydney Warinner allowed three unearned runs on two hits in two innings of relief.
Â
Madeline Kurtz took the loss after giving up eight runs, seven earned, on 15 hits in six innings. Bretz paced the Knights with a 2 for 4 performance at the plate. Woosley went 1 for 1 with a pair of RBIs in the game.
Â
Louisville 10 – Lake Land 2
Sophomore Lillie Goetz went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and fellow sophomore Megan Hensley had a two-run home to help her own cause in the circle as the Cards defeated Lake Land 10-2.
Â
Louisville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Pufahl singled and scored on a double by sophomore Michala Riggle.
Â
The Lakers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Chloe Wigington was hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning and moved to third when Addison Baele reached on an error. Bailey Gowen walked to load the bases. Wigington came home on an illegal pitch and Baele was safe on a play at the plate during a double steal to give Lake Land a 2-1 lead.
Â
The Cards answered with four runs in the home half of the inning. Melton delivered a leadoff single, stole second and took third when McNary reached on an error. A double steal sent Melton home to even the score at 2-2. An RBI single by Hensley and a two-run hit by Goetz made the score 5-2.
Â
In the sixth inning, Hensley's two-run shot increased UofL's lead to 7-2.
Â
Louisville tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Riggle was hit by a pitch and proceeded to steal second. Junior Ashley Nikolao walked and a double steal placed both runners in scoring position for a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Blaire Bass. An RBI hit by senior Morgan Meyer and McNary's triple plated the final two runs of the game to give the Cards the 10-2 win.
Â
Hensley got the win in the circle, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out seven in five innings. Freshman Sydney Warriner did not allow a hit and struck out two in two innings of relief.
Â
"We had some miscues out there, but what really impressed me was watching Sydney Warriner take the mound in the second game, we saw what she's capable of doing," said Pearsall. "I'm excited about our newcomers as well. While we saw a lot of good things out there, what we need to do is work on the base paths. We need to continue to work on knowing what the situation is and getting the hits we need in the situation. By and large, we had a very good weekend."
Â
UofL returns to action on Oct. 1 when Bellarmine and Walter's State visit Ulmer Stadium for the final tournament of the 2016-17 fall season.
Â
October 1 Schedule
10:00 a.m. Â - Bellarmine vs. Louisville
12:00 p.m. – Walter's State vs. Louisville
2:00 p.m. – Walter's State vs. Bellarmine
Â
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
Highlights: Louisville SB vs. No. 18 Florida State (Gm. 1)
Thursday, July 11
Highlights: Louisville SB at Boston College
Sunday, May 05
SB: Daisy Hess and Sam Booe Postgame vs. #22/21 Clemson
Saturday, April 27
Highlights: Louisville SB vs. No. 22/21 Clemson (Gm. 2)
Saturday, April 27





















