Softball Earns a Doubleheader Split at Syracuse

Friday, April 13

Syracuse, NY

2:00 PM

University of Louisville

24-16, 7-6

Syracuse

20-18, 4-11

Louisville

Syracuse

April 13, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Louisville 3 - Syracuse 2 Syracuse 4 - Louisville 3

Cards win the first game 3-2, fall 4-3 in game two

By: Lori Korte

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The University of Louisville softball team split an ACC doubleheader at Syracuse, taking the opener 3-2 and falling 4-3 in game two. The Cardinals (27-14, 7-7) and the Orange (21-18, 5-11) will meet Saturday at 1 p.m. to decide the series.

Louisville 3 – Syracuse 2
Junior Megan Hensley struck out eight to pick up the win in the circle and notched her fifth home run of the season to help the Cardinals open the series with a 3-2 win.

The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Hensley drilled a two-out home run over the left field fence. Senior Nicole Pufahl followed with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and came around to score on an RBI hit by freshman Kyra Snyder.

Louisville added another run in the fifth. Freshman Jordyn Wolfe led off with a single and sprinted around to score on junior Sidney Melton's double to bring the score to 3-0.

The Orange answered in the home half of the fifth when Sammy Fernandez reached on an infield single to set up Bryce Holmgren's two-run homer which brought the score to 3-2.

Hensley (12-5) surrendered two earned runs on five hits and struck out eight in a complete game effort. She recorded one hit along with Melton, Wolfe, Snyder and senior Alison Szydlowski.

Alexa Romero (13-11) took the loss after giving up three earned runs on four hits and striking out five in 4.2 innings. Fernandez, Hansen, Gabby Teran, Lailoni Mayfield and Jessica Heese each had a hit for the Orange.

Syracuse 4 – Louisville 3
In the second game of Friday's doubleheader, the Cardinals fell behind 2-0 and rallied with two runs in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead, but the Orange answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning to even the series at a game apiece.

Senior Nicole Pufahl went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and freshman Maddy Newman finished 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI to lead the Cardinals at the plate.

After two and a half scoreless innings, Syracuse broke through in the home half of the third. Holmgren led off with a walk, Gabby Teran singled and Rachel Burkhardt walked to load the bases for Miranda Hearn's RBI groundout.

The Orange Hannah Dossett reached on a fielder's choice and singles by Maciolek and Mayfield loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Danielle Watson delivered a strikeout for the second out of the inning and freshman first baseman Kyra Snyder tracked down a foul ball near the Louisville dugout to hold Syracuse at bay.

Syracuse added another run in the fourth when Fernandez connected on a one-out triple and hit batter put two on and Holmgren was hit by a pitch to place runners on the corners. A double steal gave the Orange a 2-0 lead.

Louisville broke through with a run in the fifth when sophomore Caitlin Ferguson reached on an error and came around to score on freshman Maddy Newman's two-out double to cut the lead in half.

Louisville had a chance to push a run across in the sixth when senior Nicole Pufahl delivered a leadoff double and was safe at third on senior Jenna Jordan's fielder's choice. Junior Blaire Bass walked to load the bases with two outs, but Ferguson's fly out to deep right field ended the threat.

The bottom of the sixth featured stellar defense by the Cardinals. Hansen doubled to start the inning. Fernandez followed with a single to centerfield. Pufahl, and Newman teamed to throw her out at second on the play. Newman then relayed the ball to Jordan who tagged Fernandez out at the plate for a double play. A lineout to right field ended the inning.

The Cards' carried that momentum into the seventh and scored a pair of runs. Melton singled, Newman and Hensley drew back-to-back walks to bring up Pufahl whose two-run single put the Cards on top 3-2.

Syracuse countered in the bottom of the seventh. Teran drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Toni Martin's sacrifice bunt and scored on Miranda Hearns' RBI hit to even the score at 3-3. An error saw Hearns safe at second on Hannah Dossett's fielder's choice. A walk to Maciolek loaded the bases for Mayfield's game-winning hit.

Snyder (1-2) took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits in 0.2 innings of relief. Watson gave up three earned runs on seven hits and struck out three in six innings of work.

AnnMarie Gatti (7-6) got the win after surrendering two runs, one earned on seven hits and striking out five in seven innings. Fernandez, Teran and Mayfield each had a pair of hits to lead the Orange at the plate.

"I thought Megan did a good job on the mound in the first game and we got some timely offense in the first game," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "In the second game, when you have seven walks in the game, it's going to be hard to win. We also had opportunities to score and we did not capitalize on them."