Softball Edges Harvard 4-3

Sunday, February 25

Orlando, FL

9:00 AM

University of Louisville

10-4

Harvard

2-3

Harvard

Louisville

February 25, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Louisville 4 - Harvard 3

Cards go 4-1 in D9 Citrus Classic

By: Lori Korte

ORLANDO, Fla. – Senior Jamie Soles' bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh brought home freshman Maddy Newman to lift the University of Louisville to a 4-3 win over Harvard in the final game of the D9 Citrus Classic Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals wrap up the weekend with a 4-1 record in the tournament and improve to 10-4 overall.

With her team down 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, junior Megan Hensley was hit by a pitch to start the home half of the inning. Freshman Jordyn Wolfe entered to run and took second on freshman Kyra Snyder's sacrifice bunt. An error allowed Newman to reach and junior Blaire Bass was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two outs in the inning, sophomore Caitlin Ferguson drew a walk to plate Wolfe and tie the score at 3-3. Soles followed with another walk to bring home the go-ahead run.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second when senior Jenna Jordan earned a two-out walk and scored on a double by Hensley.

In the top of the third, Harvard (2-3) took advantage of two hits and an error to take a 3-1 lead. Kaitlyn Schiffhauer led off with a walk and Rhianna Rich followed with a single. Both runners scored on a hit by Meagan Lantz. A stolen base followed by an error allowed Lantz to move to third and she was safe at the plate on Melissa Lacro's fielder's choice.

The score remained the same until the sixth inning when Melton drew a leadoff walk, stole second and crossed the plate on senior Nicole Pufahl's two-out RBI single to bring the Cardinals within a run.

After giving up three runs in the third, freshman Danielle Watson went on to retire the next 11 batters she faced until the top of the seventh when she hit Aubree Muse with a pitch. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout moved the runner to third, but Watson and the Cardinals' defense held Harvard at bay and sent the game to the bottom of the seventh with the score 3-2.

Watson (8-3) picked up the win, allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits and striking out three in 5.0 innings.

Kathleen Duncan (2-3) took the loss, giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits with one strikeout in 4.2 innings.

The Cardinals will open the home season Thursday against UAB at 6 p.m. The game kicks off the Red & Black Classic which also features Eastern Illinois, IUPUI, Maryland and Miami (Ohio).