Softball Falls to No. 9 Arizona 5-3 and No. 4 Oklahoma 2-1

Thursday, February 23

Cathedral City, CA

1:00 PM

University of Louisville

7-3

Arizona

12-0

Louisville

Arizona

Softball Falls to No. 9 Arizona 5-3 and No. 4 Oklahoma 2-1

February 23, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Arizona 5 - Louisville 3 (PDF)Oklahoma 2 - Louisville 1

Cards drop a pair of close games to top-10 opponents on day one of Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic 2

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 5-3 to No. 9/9 Arizona and 2-1 to No. 4/6 Oklahoma on day one of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic 2 Thursday in Cathedral City, Calif. The Cardinals (7-4) will return to action on Friday when they face No. 23 BYU at 2 p.m. (EST).

No. 9/9 Arizona 5 – Louisville 3
In game one, the Cardinals and the Wildcats had five hits apiece and Louisville took a 3-1 lead behind sophomore Lillie Goetz's three-run homer, but errors in the third inning proved to be costly as the Wildcats scored four runs in the home half of the frame.

Arizona (12-0) took a 1-0 lead behind Katiyana Mauga's leadoff home run in the second inning.

Louisville answered in the top of the third when senior designated player Maryssa Becker and sophomore pitcher Megan Hensley drew back-to-back one-out walks. Freshman Celene Funke entered to run for Becker and Goetz drilled her second home run of the season to put Louisville on top 3-1.

The lead was short-lived as the Wildcats capitalized on a walk, two errors and a hit batter and a single to score four runs in the bottom of the third. Mandie Perez got the offense started with a leadoff walk. Back-to-back errors allowed Dejah Mulipola and Alyssa Palomino to reach, loading the bases for Mauga who was hit by a pitch to plate Perez. Moss Mercado's two-run single gave Arizona a 4-3 and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jessie Harper added an insurance run.

The Cards had a chance to push more runs across in the sixth when junior centerfielder Nicole Pufahl walked and sophomore second baseman Blaire Bass singled. Jenna Jordan's fielder's choice saw all runners safe to load the bases. Arizona reliever Danielle O'Toole got a fielder's choice, a strikeout and a groundout to hold Louisville at bay.

Megan Hensley (1-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out one in six innings. Goetz finished the game 1-for-4 with three RBIs. Louisville had five hits and stranded eight runners in the game.

Danielle O'Toole (7-0) got the win, holding the Cardinals scoreless on one hit and striking out six in four innings of relief. Moss paced the Wildcats offensively with a 2 for 2, two RBI showing at the plate.

No. 4/6 Oklahoma 2 – Louisville 1
For the second time in as many games, the Cardinals matched a top-10 team in hits, but could not overcome a late-inning deficit as Louisville fell 2-1 to the defending national champion.

The Sooners (7-2) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Clifton earned a leadoff walk and moved to third on Sydney Romero's single and was safe on a play at the plate on Shay Knighten's sacrifice bunt attempt.

Louisville countered with a run in the fifth inning. Freshman Caitlin Ferguson reached on a fielder's choice, took second on junior shortstop Sidney Melton's infield hit and crossed the plate on senior left fielder Jordan McNary's RBI hit to even the score at 1-1.

Oklahoma answered in the home half of the fifth when Clifton connected on a leadoff double and came home on a throwing error on Nicole Pendley's sacrifice bunt attempt to put the Sooner back on top 2-1.

Becker (6-3) took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits and fanning three in six innings. Melton went 2 for 3 to lead the Cardinals offensively.

Paige Lowary (3-1) got the win, allowing one earned run on four hits and striking out seven in a complete game effort. Romero went 2 for 3 and Clifton scored both runs in the game.