Softball Powers Past Ohio State and Purdue in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Friday, February 17

Chapel Hill, NC

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

5-1

Ohio State

3-2

Louisville

Ohio State

Softball Powers Past Ohio State and Purdue in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

February 17, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Louisville 9 - Ohio State 0 (PDF)Louisville 6 - Purdue 5 (PDF)

Cards hit four home runs and Becker pick up two wins to help Louisville beat Ohio State 9-0 and Purdue 6-5

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Four players connected on home runs and senior Maryssa Becker posted a pair of wins in the circle as the University of Louisville softball team defeated Ohio State 9-0 and Purdue 6-5 Friday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at North Carolina's Anderson Stadium.

Louisville 9 – Ohio State 0 (5 innings)
A grand slam by sophomore Megan Hensley and a solo home run by sophomore Lillie Goetz backed Becker's two-hit shutout as the Cards topped Ohio State 9-0 in five innings in the first game of the day.

After three scoreless innings Louisville capitalized on and error and four hits – including Goetz's solo home run and Hensley's grand slam to break open a scoreless tie with a seven-spot in the fourth. With one out in the inning, Goetz worked the count full before sending a shot off of the scoreboard behind left field for her first homer of the season to give Louisville a 1-0 lead. One out later, junior Nicole Pufahl earned a walk and senior Morgan Meyer beat the throw for an infield hit. An error allowed junior Sidney Melton to reach safely and sent Pufahl home to make the score 2-0. Senior Jordan McNary's infield hit saw Meyer safe at the plate. Becker was walked to load the bases for Hensley who powered a shot to left field for her first home run of the season – and second career grand slam.

Louisville tallied two more runs in the fifth to push the lead to 9-0. Goetz connected on a leadoff double and sophomore Blaire Bass followed with a walk. A hit by Pufahl loaded the bases for pinch hitter freshman Shelby Graybill whose groundout sent Geotz home. McNary's RBI hit capped the Cardinals' offense.

Becker and the Cardinals' defense held the Buckeyes in check, allowing only three base runners and turning a pair of double plays in the game.

Becker (4-1) scattered two hits and struck out five to get the win. Offensively, Becker was walked there times and scored a run. Pufahl was 2 for 2 with two runs. McNary went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. Goetz went 2 for 3 with double, a home run and two runs. Hensley finished the game with a hit and four RBIs.

Shelby Hursh (3-1) took the loss after allowing seven runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out four while walking four in 4.0 innings. Shelby McCombs gave up two earned runs in 1.0 innings of relief. Emily Clark and Bri Betschel each had a hit for the Buckeyes (3-2).

"I think we did a really good job of focusing on what we needed to do against their pitcher- she's a very good pitcher with a nice screwball and rise ball," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We did a nice job of capitalizing when she made mistakes and that's what we needed to do. We also played solid defense and got a great performance from Maryssa Becker in the circle."

Louisville 6 – Purdue 5
Game two of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge featured a flurry of scoring in the final two innings and culminated with a two-out, two run single by Hensley in the bottom of the seventh. The Cards trailed Purdue 3-0 until the sixth inning when home runs by juniors Ashley Nikolao and Jenna Jordan put Louisville on top 4-3.

The Boilermakers regained the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh, but Hensley's walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh gave the Cardinals their sixth win of the season.

Purdue (1-5) used three hits and two walks to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Mallory Baker drew a leadoff walk and Lexi Huffman followed with a single. A wild pitch moved the runners for Kaitlynn Moody's groundout which plated Baker. An RBI hit by Lexi Valone and a bases-loaded walk to Madison Douglass brought the score to 3-0.

Purdue pitcher Katie Johnson held Louisville at bay until the Cardinals' offense finally broke through in the sixth. Nikolao, who was pinch hitting for McNary, stepped up to the plate and powered her first career homer over the left centerfield fence to lead off the home half of the inning. Becker drew a walk and was lifted for pinch runner freshman Celene Funke. Hensley followed with double to put runners on second and third. After sophomore Michala Riggle entered the game to run for Hensley, junior Jenna Jordan proceeded to blast her first Louisville home run over the fence in left field to pull the Cards ahead 4-3.

Purdue answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. A two-out error allowed Kristen Hoppman to reach and Kaylah Hampton followed with a single. Both runners scored when Baker's hit to shallow centerfield fell in for a triple which put the Boilermakers back on top 5-4.

Once again, the Cards rallied in the home half of the inning. Melton delivered a one-out hit and took second on McNary's groundout. Becker was walked for the third time in the game – and sixth time on the day – to bring up Hensley, who was Louisville's starting pitcher in the game, but had since moved to right field. The sophomore worked the count full before connecting on a two-run hit which plated Melton and Becker to end the game.

Becker (5-1) got the win, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out three in two innings of relief. Freshman Sydney Warinner tossed 3.2 innings of relief and held the Boilermakers scoreless on three hits. Hensley gave up three earned runs on three hits while fanning one.

Hensley finished the game with a 2 for 4, two RBI performance at the plate and Pufahl was 2 for 4.

Katie Johnson (0-2) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on six hits. She had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the fourth when junior Alison Szydlowski connected on a two-out single. Kaitlynn Moody surrendered one earned run in the sixth inning. Baker had one hit and two RBIs while Huffman was 2 for 3 with a run to pace the Boilermakers offensively.

"We struggle a bit offensively and got behind, but our team continued to battle and never gave up," said Pearsall. "We finally found our gear and got some great timely hitting from Megan Hensley, Ashley Nikolao and Jenna Jordan. I thought Sydney Warinner gave us a great performance when she came in and Becker finished off the game nicely."

Louisville (6-1) will face Purdue again Saturday at 4 p.m.