University of Louisville
28-17, 0
VIRGINIA
21-31, 0
Balanced Offensive Effort Helps Cards Clinch Virginia Series with an 11-3 Win
April 29, 2017 | Softball
Cards get at least one hit and one run from every player in the batting order
Â
The teams will be back in action Sunday at 12 p.m. in Louisville's final home game of the season. Prior to the game, the Cardinals will honor seniors Maryssa Becker, Jordan McNary, Morgan Meyer and Tiarra Sanabria.
Â
"I was proud of our team today," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "They came out with a little more energy to start the game. Megan threw well right off the bat, which is what we need from her. Our offense really did a great job today. They were patient and attacking and getting runners into scoring position – and we ran the bases very aggressively today and made some great plays defensively."
Â
Meyer and Becker each had two hits and drove in two runs and Sanabria connected on a two-run homer and scored twice to back sophomore Megan Hensley (8-7) who gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits in five innings.
Â
The Cards (28-17, 11-7 ACC) Â took an early lead in the second as junior Jenna Jordan's double plated Hensley who was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Jordan would eventually score on an error to put Louisville up 2-0.
Â
In the third inning, the Cardinals used six hits, including Sanabria's third homer of the season, to score five runs. Meyer was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and crossed the plate on junior Nicole Pufahl's double. Becker singled Pufahl home and crossed the plate on Hensley's double. Junior Jamie Soles reached on a fielder's choice to set up Sanabria who powered a shot over the left field fence for the second straight day to extend Louisville's lead to 7-0. Â
Â
Virginia (21-31, 8-15) got two runs back in the fourth when McKall Miller drew a leadoff walk and Allison Davis reached on an error to place two runners on for Iyana Hughes' one-out double which made it a 7-2 game.
Â
The Cavaliers added another run in the fifth when Kaitlin Fitzgerald singled and Danni Ingraham followed with a double to bring the score to 7-3.
Â
After a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, the Cards capitalized on three walks and a hit batter to put up a four-spot in the fifth. Soles started the inning with a hit, Sanabria walked and junior Alison Szydlowski was hit by a pitch to load the bases for senior Jordan McNary who drew a walk to plate Soles. Meyer delivered a two-run single and Pufahl walked the bases loaded again to bring up Becker who singled to centerfield to deliver the final run of the game.
Â
Lexi Mettler (3-6) took the loss after giving up six runs, five earned, on four hits and striking out one in 3.2 innings. Lacy Smith allowed five earned runs on seven hits in one inning of relief. Â
Â
Â
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hensley, Megan (8-8)
L: Lexi Mettler (3-6)
Batting:
2B: Danni Ingraham 1 ; Iyana Hughes 1
RBI: Danni Ingraham 1 ; Iyana Hughes 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kaitlin Fitzgerald 1 ; McKall Miller 1 ; Allison Davis 1
Batting:
2B: Pufahl, Nicole 1 ; Hensley, Megan 1 ; Jordan, Jenna 1 ; Szydlowski, Alison 1
HR: Sanabria, Tiarra 1
RBI: McNary, Jordan 1 ; Meyer, Morgan 2 ; Pufahl, Nicole 1 ; Becker, Maryssa 2 ; Hensley, Megan 1 ; Jordan, Jenna 1 ; Sanabria, Tiarra 2
Base Running:
RUNS: McNary, Jordan 1 ; Meyer, Morgan 1 ; Pufahl, Nicole 1 ; Becker, Maryssa 1 ; Hensley, Megan 1 ; Soles, Jamie 2 ; Jordan, Jenna 1 ; Sanabria, Tiarra 2 ; Szydlowski, Alison 1
HBP: Meyer, Morgan 1 ; Hensley, Megan 1 ; Szydlowski, Alison 1
