Softball Drops Series Finale at Duke

Saturday, March 24

Durham, NC

1:00 PM

University of Louisville

22-9, 2-4

Duke

17-14, 4-5

Louisville

Duke

March 24, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Duke 1 - Louisville 0

Cards shut out for only the third time this season

By: Lori Korte

DURHAM, N.C.- The University of Louisville softball team fell 1-0 to Duke in the series finale Saturday at Duke Softball Stadium. The Cardinals (22-9, 2-4 ACC) will return to action Wednesday when they travel to Nashville for a single game at Lipscomb.

Duke (17-14, 4-5) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Jameson Kavel led off with a triple and crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Louisville's best chance to score came early on when junior Sidney Melton led off the game by reaching on an error and took second on Celene Funke's sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson drew a walk and an infield single by Hensley loaded the bases with one out. Senior Nicole Pufahl's fielder's choice saw Melton out at the plate and senior Jenna Jordan's groundout ended the Cardinals' inning.

The Blue Devils threatened again in the second when Kortney Dry connected on a leadoff hit and walks to Hannah Pridemore and Jazmine Moreno loaded the bases, but reliever Megan Hensley and the Louisville defense retired the next three batters to get out of the jam. Duke would move a runner into scoring positon only once more in the game as Hensley surrendered only two hits while striking out one in 5.0 innings of relief.

"I thought we had a good defensive day, but our pitching wasn't ready to go in the first inning, gave them their and we gave them their first run which was disappointing," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We certainly had chances to score, but we couldn't get anything going. We need to find a way to do more offensively."

Freshman Danielle Watson (13-6) took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits in one inning. Hensley led the Cards with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

Amelia Wiercioch (5-4) picked up the win, holding Louisville scoreless on two hits in 5.0 innings of work. Peyton St. George did not allow a hit in two innings of relief to pick up the save.