Softball Defeats Pitt 8-2 to Complete ACC Series Sweep

Sunday, March 19

LOUISVILLE, KY

12 p.m.

University of Louisville

18-7, 0

PITTSBURGH

14-11, 0

Pittsburgh

Louisville

Softball Defeats Pitt 8-2 to Complete ACC Series Sweep

March 19, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Sandy Pearsall Post Game Interview Louisville 8 - Pitt 2 (PDF)Photo Gallery

Cards notch their sixth straight win

By: Pierce Feltner

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior Jamie Soles and freshman Caitlin Ferguson recorded two RBIs to help the University of Louisville softball team complete an ACC series sweep of Pittsburgh with an 8-2 victory at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville (18-7, 3-0 ACC) will return to action on March 22 when No. 23/24 Wisconsin visits Ulmer Stadium for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

"I was really happy with how our team played today," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "I thought their pitcher came fired up to stop our offense - and she certainly was throwing well and controlling us early on - but Maryssa Becker was also controlling them. So the first part of the game was definitely a pitchers' duel. Our team needed to find a little bit of aggressiveness at the plate and took care of it. Defensively, I thought we made some great plays and our defense really came through for us again. And that's the key – we've got to play defense."

The Cardinals started the scoring in the third inning after sophomore Megan Hensley reached on an infield hit and moved to second on a throwing error and eventually scored on Soles' RBI single. Soles later scored on a base hit by senior Maryssa Becker. Ferguson capped off the three-run third, scoring on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to from junior Nicole Pufahl.

The Panthers (14-11, 0-6) battled back in the fourth inning with a leadoff single from Hannah Edwards, who scored on Kaitlin Manuel's RBI hit to put her team on the scoreboard. Olivia Gray added Pittsburgh's second run on a RBI groundout from Valerie Ortega.

Louisville answered in the fourth inning after Alison Szydlowski reached on a three-base error and later scored on an RBI ground ball from Megan Hensley.

The sixth inning brought four more insurance runs for the Cards. Hensley started the offense with a single up the middle and was lifted for pinch runner freshman Celene Funke who later scored on a hit by Soles. Ferguson's double plated Jordan and Soles to add the sixth and seventh Louisville runs. Senior Jordan McNary drove in the last run with a single to left that sent Ferguson home for the 8-2 final.

Maryssa Becker (13-4) got the win, allowing two earned runs and striking out eight while scattering four hits in six innings. Soles went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs while Ferguson finished the game with a 2-for-4, two run, two RBI showing at the plate. McNary, Becker and Hensley each had a pair of hits in the game.

Pitt's Brittany Knight took the loss and fell to 8-5 on the season. Manuel went 2-for-3 with an RBI to pace the Panthers offensively.

Following the midweek game, the Cardinals will resume ACC play with a trip to Syracuse for a three-game series March 24-26.