Softball Welcomes NC State to Ulmer Stadium
March 29, 2018 | Softball
Cards play host to NC State in a three-game series Friday and Saturday
The University of Louisville softball team will play host to North Carolina State in a three-game ACC series this weekend at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards and the Wolfpack will square off in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Friday and wrap up the series Saturday at 12 p.m. Admission is free.
Team Notes
• The Cardinals bring a 22-10 overall record into the weekend after dropping a 3-1 midweek game at Lipscomb. Louisville is 2-4 in ACC play, most recently taking two of three games at Duke last weekend.
• For the seventh week in a row, Louisville is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. UofL is also receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Coaches poll for the fourth straight week and the sixth time this season.
• On March 4, Louisville defeated Eastern Illinois 6-0 to mark the 700th win in school history - all under head coach Sandy Pearsall who started the program in 2000. She now has a 707-359 mark at UofL.
Individual Notes
• Danielle Watson (13-6) ranked third in the ACC and 19th in the nation in wins. The freshman right-hander carries a team-best 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings of work while holding opponents to a .199 batting average. Junior Megan Hensley (8-4) follows with a 2.58 ERA and 81Ks in 103 innings and is limiting opponents to a .230 average.
• Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson leads the team with a .392 average and 31 RBIs as well as multi-hit games (12) and multi-RBI games (9).
• Sophomore Celene Funke leads the team with 10 stolen bases.
• Junior Sidney Melton has scored a team-high 25 runs and is 8-for-8 in stolen bases.
• Sandy Pearsall is in her 19th season as UofL's head coach. After building the program from scratch in 2000, Pearsall recently achieved her 700th victory at Louisville. She has guided the Cardinals to six conference championships. Under her watch, Louisville has made 13 NCAA regional appearances and served as a host site in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Cards against the field
North Carolina State
Series Record:
Scouting the Wolfpack: North Carolina State enters the three game series with a 19-13 overall record and 3-5 mark in ACC play. The Wolfpack is coming off of a 2-1 win over USC Update on Tuesday. Prior to that, NC State posted a 3-2 record last weekend after hosting the Homewood Suites By Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge. On Friday they bested Niagara 9-1 in five innings and lost to Marist by a score of 2-1. Saturday they outscored Kennesaw State 4-3 and beat Niagara 9-7. An 8-2 loss to Kennesaw State 2-8. Most recently, on Tuesday the Wolfpack defeated USU Upstate 2-1.
• The Wolfpack is led in the circle by Devin Wallace, who carries an 11-5 record with 91 strikeouts in 117.0 innings pitched.
• Alyssa Compton paces NC State offensively with a .329 batting average and seven doubles. Chandley Garner has belted out a team-best six home runs and tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs.
Up Next: The Cardinals will travel to Lexington, Ky. to take on in-state rival Kentucky in a midweek tilt on April 4.
Up Last
The Cardinals fell 3-1 to Lipscomb in a midweek game at Lipscomb's Draper Diamond Wednesday.
• Louisville took an early 1-0 lead, but a solo home run in the fifth along with an error and an RBI hit in the sixth helped Lipscomb (20-9) rally to win the game.
• Megan Hensley (8-4) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of relief. Freshman Danielle Watson started the game and surrendered one earned runs on four hits and fanned seven in 4.2 innings. Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson went 3-for-3 to pace the Cardinals offensively.
Recapping last weekend
• Louisville opened its series at Duke with a doubleheader sweep, defeating the Blue Devils 5-3 and 5-0. In the final game, Duke took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and held on for the win.
• Megan Hensley led the Cardinals in the circle this weekend as they clinched an ACC series at Duke. The junior right-hander did not allow a run in 13.0 innings of work. She appeared in all three games, earning a save in the series opener. She followed with a complete-game shutout in the second half of Friday's doubleheader. On Saturday, she entered the game in the third inning with runners on first and second with no outs - and held the Blue Devils scoreless in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley scattered eight hits in her 13 innings, holding Duke to a .167 batting average.
• She also backed up her pitching performance with a .500 batting average (5-for-10)
Louisville 5 – Duke 3
Caitlin Ferguson went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs to back freshman Danielle Watson as she collected her 13th win of the season in Louisville's series-opening 5-3 victory.
• Watson picked up the win, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out three in 6.0 innings. Hensley held the Blue Devils scoreless and surrendered one hit while striking out two to collect her second save of the season. Melton, Snyder and Newman each tallied two hits for the Cards.
• Amelia Wiercloch (4-4) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings. Wilson and Moreno had two hits to lead Duke at the plate.
Louisville 5 - Duke 0
In the second game of Friday's doubleheader, the Cardinals used a five-run seventh to break open a scoreless tie and held on to clinch the series with the Blue Devils.
• Junior Megan Hensley allowed five hits and struck out three en route to a complete game shutout, she also went 2-for-3 at the plate to help lead the Cardinals offensively. Senior Jamie Soles drove in two runs and junior Madison Cousineau collected three RBIs.
• Huey took the loss after giving up five earned runs on seven hits and striking out two in a complete game effort. Dominique Salinas went 2-for-3 to pace the Blue Devils offensively.
Duke 1 - Louisville 0
Duke 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.
• Danielle Watson took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits in one inning. Megan Hensley surrendered only two hits while striking out one in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley led the Cards with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
• Amelia Wiercioch 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.
Melton ties school record with three stolen bases
On March 23, junior Sidney Melton recorded three stolen bases in Louisville's 5-3 win at Duke. In doing so, it marked the sixth time in program history that a player accomplished the feat and the first time since April 12, 2014 when Kelsi Jones swiped three against Connecticut.
Louisville/Indiana game postponed, reschedule for April 18
Due to inclement weather, Tuesday's University of Louisville softball game at Indiana was postponed with a make-up date slated for April 18 at 5 p.m.
Pearsall, Louisville reach 700 wins
On March 4, 2018, the University of Louisville softball team defeated Eastern Illinois 6-0 in the final game of the Red & Black Classic at Ulmer Stadium.
Pearsall Highlights at Louisville
• Sandy Pearsall is in her 19th season at the helm after starting the program in 2000.
• She has registered a 705-359 record at Louisville; producing 14 consecutive winning seasons (six winning seasons in the 18-year history of the program).
•Six conference championships in three conferences (C-USA, BIG EAST, American Athletic Conference
• Louisville has been ranked in the top 10 numerous times, reaching as high as No. 7 (as recently as 2013)
• Conference Coaching Staff of the Year three times: 2012 (BIG EAST); 2006 (BIG EAST); 2000 (Conference USA); NFCA Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2012).
Hitting for average
The Cardinals are hitting .300 collectively as a team with six players are batting over .300 on the season with a trio of underclassmen leading the way. Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson paces the Cards with a .392 average. Freshman Maddy Newman follows at .355. Sophomore Celene Funke is hitting at a .348 clip while junior Madison Cousineau stands fifth at .341. Senior Nicole Pufahl rounds out the top six at .323.
Life is grand for Hensley
Megan Hensley connected on a grand slam in Louisville's 9-4 win against Northern Illinois on March 14 marked the first since Feb. 17, 2017 when Hensley launched a grand slam in the 9-0 win over Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Hensley connected on her first career grand slam as a freshman on March 30, 2016 when the Cards beat Western Kentucky 12-0.
• She leads the current team with three career grand slams. Lacy Wood (2003-06) holds the school record with four.
Hensley registers 200th strikeout
In the March 14, 9-4 win against Northern Illinois, Megan Hensley picked up the win while striking out six in 4.2 innings of relief. In doing so, she registered and surpassed her 200th career strikeout. She now has 224 Ks and recently moved into 10th place among Louisville's all-time strikeout leaders.
Watson off to stellar start
Freshman Danielle Watson has been impressive in her debut as a Cardinal. The right-handed pitcher is tied for third in the ACC with a 13-6 record.
• The right-hander carries a 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings while holding opponents to a .198 batting average.
•The Osceola, Ind., native made her debut in the Cardinals 5-3 win over UCF. In that game, she surrendered one earned run and struck out five while scattering four hits in 5.0 innings.
Hensley climbing the record book
Junior RHP Megan Hensley has entered Louisville's top career list in several categories.
• Fifth with six career saves and needs two more to tie for fourth with Tori Collins (2009-12).
• Ninth in appearances (77) - needs three more to move into a tie for eighth with Rachel LeCoq (2013-14).
• Eighth in career games started in the circle (51), needs seven more to tie for seventh with Aja Sherman (2002-05).
• Ninth in career wins (32), needs three more to move into a tie for eighth with Rachel LeCoq (2013-14).
• Tenth in career strikeouts. Needs three more to tie current pitching coach Kassie Stanfill (2006-09) for ninth on the list.
Pufahl eclipses 100 career runs
Senior Nicole Pufahl scored her 100th career run on March 10 when the Cardinals' 10-6 defeated Eastern Michigan at Ulmer Stadium. The senior outfielder now has 104 runs in her career and needs 13 more to move into a tie for 10th with Sara Bausher (2002-05) and Alicja Wolny (2010-13) on Louisville's all-time list for career runs.
Youthful impact
Along with the veteran leadership from the upperclassmen on the field, several underclassmen have also made valuable contributions. Entering the weekend, Louisville's top three hitters are underclassmen.
• Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson has started every game at shortstop, third base or first base and leads the team with a .392 batting average, eight doubles and 31 RBIs.
• Freshman Maddy Newman stands second on the team with a .355 batting average and has scored 12 runs with four stolen bases. She has played in 24 games with 14 starts.
• Sophomore Celene Funke is third on the team with a .348 batting average, and is a team-best 10-for-10 in stolen bases.
• Freshman RHP Danielle Watson (13-6) leads the pitching staff and is tied for third in the ACC with 13 wins. She carries a team-best 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings of work.
• Freshman Kyra Snyder has started 30 games at first base or in the circle and stands seventh on the team with a .298 batting average.
Team Notes
• The Cardinals bring a 22-10 overall record into the weekend after dropping a 3-1 midweek game at Lipscomb. Louisville is 2-4 in ACC play, most recently taking two of three games at Duke last weekend.
• For the seventh week in a row, Louisville is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. UofL is also receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Coaches poll for the fourth straight week and the sixth time this season.
• On March 4, Louisville defeated Eastern Illinois 6-0 to mark the 700th win in school history - all under head coach Sandy Pearsall who started the program in 2000. She now has a 707-359 mark at UofL.
Individual Notes
• Danielle Watson (13-6) ranked third in the ACC and 19th in the nation in wins. The freshman right-hander carries a team-best 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings of work while holding opponents to a .199 batting average. Junior Megan Hensley (8-4) follows with a 2.58 ERA and 81Ks in 103 innings and is limiting opponents to a .230 average.
• Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson leads the team with a .392 average and 31 RBIs as well as multi-hit games (12) and multi-RBI games (9).
• Sophomore Celene Funke leads the team with 10 stolen bases.
• Junior Sidney Melton has scored a team-high 25 runs and is 8-for-8 in stolen bases.
• Sandy Pearsall is in her 19th season as UofL's head coach. After building the program from scratch in 2000, Pearsall recently achieved her 700th victory at Louisville. She has guided the Cardinals to six conference championships. Under her watch, Louisville has made 13 NCAA regional appearances and served as a host site in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Cards against the field
North Carolina State
Series Record:
Scouting the Wolfpack: North Carolina State enters the three game series with a 19-13 overall record and 3-5 mark in ACC play. The Wolfpack is coming off of a 2-1 win over USC Update on Tuesday. Prior to that, NC State posted a 3-2 record last weekend after hosting the Homewood Suites By Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge. On Friday they bested Niagara 9-1 in five innings and lost to Marist by a score of 2-1. Saturday they outscored Kennesaw State 4-3 and beat Niagara 9-7. An 8-2 loss to Kennesaw State 2-8. Most recently, on Tuesday the Wolfpack defeated USU Upstate 2-1.
• The Wolfpack is led in the circle by Devin Wallace, who carries an 11-5 record with 91 strikeouts in 117.0 innings pitched.
• Alyssa Compton paces NC State offensively with a .329 batting average and seven doubles. Chandley Garner has belted out a team-best six home runs and tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs.
Up Next: The Cardinals will travel to Lexington, Ky. to take on in-state rival Kentucky in a midweek tilt on April 4.
Up Last
The Cardinals fell 3-1 to Lipscomb in a midweek game at Lipscomb's Draper Diamond Wednesday.
• Louisville took an early 1-0 lead, but a solo home run in the fifth along with an error and an RBI hit in the sixth helped Lipscomb (20-9) rally to win the game.
• Megan Hensley (8-4) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of relief. Freshman Danielle Watson started the game and surrendered one earned runs on four hits and fanned seven in 4.2 innings. Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson went 3-for-3 to pace the Cardinals offensively.
Recapping last weekend
• Louisville opened its series at Duke with a doubleheader sweep, defeating the Blue Devils 5-3 and 5-0. In the final game, Duke took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and held on for the win.
• Megan Hensley led the Cardinals in the circle this weekend as they clinched an ACC series at Duke. The junior right-hander did not allow a run in 13.0 innings of work. She appeared in all three games, earning a save in the series opener. She followed with a complete-game shutout in the second half of Friday's doubleheader. On Saturday, she entered the game in the third inning with runners on first and second with no outs - and held the Blue Devils scoreless in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley scattered eight hits in her 13 innings, holding Duke to a .167 batting average.
• She also backed up her pitching performance with a .500 batting average (5-for-10)
Louisville 5 – Duke 3
Caitlin Ferguson went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs to back freshman Danielle Watson as she collected her 13th win of the season in Louisville's series-opening 5-3 victory.
• Watson picked up the win, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out three in 6.0 innings. Hensley held the Blue Devils scoreless and surrendered one hit while striking out two to collect her second save of the season. Melton, Snyder and Newman each tallied two hits for the Cards.
• Amelia Wiercloch (4-4) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings. Wilson and Moreno had two hits to lead Duke at the plate.
Louisville 5 - Duke 0
In the second game of Friday's doubleheader, the Cardinals used a five-run seventh to break open a scoreless tie and held on to clinch the series with the Blue Devils.
• Junior Megan Hensley allowed five hits and struck out three en route to a complete game shutout, she also went 2-for-3 at the plate to help lead the Cardinals offensively. Senior Jamie Soles drove in two runs and junior Madison Cousineau collected three RBIs.
• Huey took the loss after giving up five earned runs on seven hits and striking out two in a complete game effort. Dominique Salinas went 2-for-3 to pace the Blue Devils offensively.
Duke 1 - Louisville 0
Duke 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.
• Danielle Watson took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits in one inning. Megan Hensley surrendered only two hits while striking out one in 5.0 innings of relief. Hensley led the Cards with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
• Amelia Wiercioch 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.
Melton ties school record with three stolen bases
On March 23, junior Sidney Melton recorded three stolen bases in Louisville's 5-3 win at Duke. In doing so, it marked the sixth time in program history that a player accomplished the feat and the first time since April 12, 2014 when Kelsi Jones swiped three against Connecticut.
Louisville/Indiana game postponed, reschedule for April 18
Due to inclement weather, Tuesday's University of Louisville softball game at Indiana was postponed with a make-up date slated for April 18 at 5 p.m.
Pearsall, Louisville reach 700 wins
On March 4, 2018, the University of Louisville softball team defeated Eastern Illinois 6-0 in the final game of the Red & Black Classic at Ulmer Stadium.
Pearsall Highlights at Louisville
• Sandy Pearsall is in her 19th season at the helm after starting the program in 2000.
• She has registered a 705-359 record at Louisville; producing 14 consecutive winning seasons (six winning seasons in the 18-year history of the program).
•Six conference championships in three conferences (C-USA, BIG EAST, American Athletic Conference
• Louisville has been ranked in the top 10 numerous times, reaching as high as No. 7 (as recently as 2013)
• Conference Coaching Staff of the Year three times: 2012 (BIG EAST); 2006 (BIG EAST); 2000 (Conference USA); NFCA Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2012).
Hitting for average
The Cardinals are hitting .300 collectively as a team with six players are batting over .300 on the season with a trio of underclassmen leading the way. Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson paces the Cards with a .392 average. Freshman Maddy Newman follows at .355. Sophomore Celene Funke is hitting at a .348 clip while junior Madison Cousineau stands fifth at .341. Senior Nicole Pufahl rounds out the top six at .323.
Life is grand for Hensley
Megan Hensley connected on a grand slam in Louisville's 9-4 win against Northern Illinois on March 14 marked the first since Feb. 17, 2017 when Hensley launched a grand slam in the 9-0 win over Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Hensley connected on her first career grand slam as a freshman on March 30, 2016 when the Cards beat Western Kentucky 12-0.
• She leads the current team with three career grand slams. Lacy Wood (2003-06) holds the school record with four.
Hensley registers 200th strikeout
In the March 14, 9-4 win against Northern Illinois, Megan Hensley picked up the win while striking out six in 4.2 innings of relief. In doing so, she registered and surpassed her 200th career strikeout. She now has 224 Ks and recently moved into 10th place among Louisville's all-time strikeout leaders.
Watson off to stellar start
Freshman Danielle Watson has been impressive in her debut as a Cardinal. The right-handed pitcher is tied for third in the ACC with a 13-6 record.
• The right-hander carries a 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings while holding opponents to a .198 batting average.
•The Osceola, Ind., native made her debut in the Cardinals 5-3 win over UCF. In that game, she surrendered one earned run and struck out five while scattering four hits in 5.0 innings.
Hensley climbing the record book
Junior RHP Megan Hensley has entered Louisville's top career list in several categories.
• Fifth with six career saves and needs two more to tie for fourth with Tori Collins (2009-12).
• Ninth in appearances (77) - needs three more to move into a tie for eighth with Rachel LeCoq (2013-14).
• Eighth in career games started in the circle (51), needs seven more to tie for seventh with Aja Sherman (2002-05).
• Ninth in career wins (32), needs three more to move into a tie for eighth with Rachel LeCoq (2013-14).
• Tenth in career strikeouts. Needs three more to tie current pitching coach Kassie Stanfill (2006-09) for ninth on the list.
Pufahl eclipses 100 career runs
Senior Nicole Pufahl scored her 100th career run on March 10 when the Cardinals' 10-6 defeated Eastern Michigan at Ulmer Stadium. The senior outfielder now has 104 runs in her career and needs 13 more to move into a tie for 10th with Sara Bausher (2002-05) and Alicja Wolny (2010-13) on Louisville's all-time list for career runs.
Youthful impact
Along with the veteran leadership from the upperclassmen on the field, several underclassmen have also made valuable contributions. Entering the weekend, Louisville's top three hitters are underclassmen.
• Sophomore Caitlin Ferguson has started every game at shortstop, third base or first base and leads the team with a .392 batting average, eight doubles and 31 RBIs.
• Freshman Maddy Newman stands second on the team with a .355 batting average and has scored 12 runs with four stolen bases. She has played in 24 games with 14 starts.
• Sophomore Celene Funke is third on the team with a .348 batting average, and is a team-best 10-for-10 in stolen bases.
• Freshman RHP Danielle Watson (13-6) leads the pitching staff and is tied for third in the ACC with 13 wins. She carries a team-best 2.11 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 99.2 innings of work.
• Freshman Kyra Snyder has started 30 games at first base or in the circle and stands seventh on the team with a .298 batting average.
Players Mentioned
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INF
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OF
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2B/OF
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OF
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P/1B
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INF
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RHP
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