Softball Falls 8-6 to Indiana State in Eight Innings

Sunday, March 5

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:30 PM

University of Louisville

12-7

INDIANA STATE

8-6

Indiana State

Louisville

March 05, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Indiana State 8 - Louisville 6 Photo Gallery

Cards snap five-game win streak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 8-6 in eight innings to Indiana State in the final game of the Red & Black Classic Sunday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium.

In a game which featured three lead changes and a tie, the Sycamores scored three unearned runs in the top of the eighth to take an 8-5 lead and held on to beat the Cardinals 8-6.

Louisville (12-7) got on the scoreboard early with three runs in the second. Junior centerfielder Nicole Pufahl got the home half of the inning started by sending the third pitch she saw over the left field fence for her second homer of the year. Junior Jenna Jordan walked and sophomore Megan Hensley single and sophomore Lillie Goetz was hit by a pitch to load the bases for senior left fielder Jordan McNary who earned a walk to plate Jordan. Freshman shortstop Caitlin Ferguson's groundout sent Hensley home to make the score 3-0.

The Sycamores (8-6) got two runs back in the top of the third when Mary Turitto singled and took second on Bailey Martin's infield hit. A wild pitch placed both runners in scoring position for Rylee Holland's sacrifice bunt attempt. An error on the play saw Turitto safe at home and Becky Malchow's RBI hit made it a 3-2 game.

Indiana State used two hits, a wild pitch and an error to tally two runs and take a 4-3 lead in the fifth. A wild pitch on a strikeout allowed Malchow to reach safely and Erika Crissman followed with an infield single. Brooke Mann's sac bunt moved the runners and an error on Bailey Martin's bunt sent Malchow home. Brooke Riemenschneider's RBI single put the Sycamores on top.

The Cards countered and regained the lead with two runs in the sixth. Walks to Ferguson and Becker started the inning and a wild pitch advanced the runners. A sacrifice fly off the bat of junior catcher Alison Szydlowski plated Ferguson and pinch-runner freshman Celene Funke scored on senior first baseman Tiarra Sanabria's triple to pulled Louisville ahead 5-4.

Once again, the Sycamores answered their next time up. Malchow doubled to started the seventh and eventually crossed the plate on Shaye Barton's infield hit to even the score at 5-5.

Louisville had a chance to score in the seventh when freshman Shelby Graybill delivered a pinch hit single and was replaced with McNary who moved to second on Ferguson's sacrifice bunt. Becker was intentionally walked to put two runners on with two outs, but Szydlowski's fielder's choice saw Becker out at second.

With the game still tied at 5-5, the teams entered the eighth inning with the international tiebreaker rule in effect. Indiana State's Kassie Brown started the frame as a runner at second base. A walk to Martin put two on for Malchow's RBI single and an error allowed Martin to score and Malchow to score to give the Sycamores an 8-5 lead.

The Cards started to rally in the home half of the eighth when Szydlowski, who was placed at second base to start the inning, came around to score Pufahl's double to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs, but Indiana State reliever Delia Gher retired the next three batters to end the game.

In the game, Louisville had 10 hits to Indiana State's 11, but stranded a season-high 15 runners, while the Sycamores left 12 on.

Hensley (4-3) took the loss after allowing four runs, one earned, on three hit and striking out three in three innings of relief. Becker gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits and fanned seven in five innings. Pufahl went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and a run to lead the Cards at the plate. Sanabria and Hensley also had a pair of hits in the game.

Delia Gher (6-3) got the win after surrendering one unearned run on two hits and striking out one in 2.1 innings of relief. Malchow went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs to pace the Sycamores offensively.

"It really comes down to too many errors and mental errors," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We know that they're going to put the ball down and some of them will be hits, but it's what we do after that's the important part that they kept forgetting to do. Our infield has to step up and play defense. They've got to bear down - that hurt us today."

This marks the fourth meeting between the squads this season with the Cardinals taking the first three.