Softball Falls Short in ACC Quarterfinal Loss to No. 7/10 Florida State

Thursday, May 10

Atlanta, GA

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

33-20

Florida State

45-10

Louisville

Florida State

Softball Falls Short in ACC Quarterfinal Loss to No. 7/10 Florida State

May 10, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Florida State 7 - Louisville 4

Cards take 3-0 lead, but errors prove costly in 7-4 loss to top-seeded Florida State

By: Lori Korte

The eighth-seeded University of Louisville softball team took an early lead, but costly errors in a four-run fourth inning propelled top-seeded, No. 7/10 Florida State to a 7-4 win in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship Thursday at Georgia Tech's Mewborn Field.

"We came out, did exactly what we needed to do and got a three-run lead," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We were playing very well and then in the fourth inning, we made mistakes. You just can't do that against a great team like Florida State. If we don't make those mistakes, we have a chance of winning that game, but the errors set us back and we just couldn't overcome that. What I did like was that we kept fighting, scored again and got runners on base and never gave up."

Junior Sidney Melton went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, junior Blaire Bass connected on two hits and scored a run and senior Nicole Pufahl had a hit and scored a pair of runs as the Cardinals outhit the Seminoles 9-6 in the contest. Junior Megan Hensley (17-8) took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits and striking out two in 3.0 innings.

Melton led off the game with a home run over the right field fence to put Louisville (33-20) on the scoreboard early.

The Cards added to the lead with a pair of runs in the second. Senior Nicole Pufahl, junior Blaire Bass and freshman Kyra Snyder delivered hits to load the bases. An error sent Pufahl home when senior Alison Szydlowski reached on a fielder's choice. Melton earned a bases-loaded walk to plate Bass and make the score 3-0.

The Seminoles (45-10) got on the scoreboard in the third when Carsyn Gordon drew a one-out walk and Sydney Sherrill followed with two run homer to cut the lead to one run.

Florida State used three hits, a walk, a wild pitch and three errors to put up four runs, three unearned, in the fourth. Elizabeth Mason singled and Cali Harrod walked. Both runners moved on a wild pitch and Anna Shelnutt's sacrifice fly evened the score at 3-3. One out later, an error plated another Seminole run. Gordon's RBI hit and another Cardinal miscue brought the score to 6-3.

The fifth inning saw a two-out solo home run by Shelnutt increase Florida State's lead to 7-3.

The Cards started to rally in the sixth when Pufahl walked, junior Madison Cousineau reached on an error and Bass singled to load the bases. Pufahl crossed the plate on senior Alison Szydlowski's fielder's choice. With runners on the corners, Florida State left fielder Dani Morgan made a diving catch to rob Melton of a hit and keep the score at 7-4.

Louisville had another scoring opportunity in the seventh when back-to-back hits by Hensley and senior Jenna Jordan put two runners on with one out, but a double play ended the game.

Meghan King (18-6) got the win after surrendering one unearned run on three hits and striking out three in 5.0 innings of relief. Sherrill led the Seminoles with a 3-for-4, two RBI performance at the plate.