Cards Prevail Against Utah State 7-5

Sunday, February 10

Fullerton, CA

12:30 p.m.

University of Louisville

3-2

Utah State

1-4

Utah State

Louisville

Caitlin Ferguson makes a throw to first base

Photo by: Jermaine Bibb | Louisville Athletics

February 10, 2019 | Softball

Box Score Louisville 7 - Utah State 5

Caitlin Ferguson drove in a career-high five RBIs to help Louisville beat Utah State 7-5

By: Lori Korte

FULLERTON, Calif. – Junior Caitlin Ferguson drove in a career-high five RBIs to help the University of Louisville softball team beat Utah State 7-5 in the final game of the Titan Classic Sunday morning.

The Cardinals (3-2) built a 7-0 lead through the first two innings and held on to beat the Aggies (1-4), who put together a late-inning rally to pull within two runs.

Louisville got its offense started early with three runs in the first. Senior Sidney Melton led off with a single and proceeded to steal second. Junior Celene Funke drew a walk and a wild pitch moved both runners to set up junior Caitlin Ferguson's two-run single. Senior Megan Hensley's base hit plated Ferguson to give Louisville a 3-0 lead.

UofL put up a four spot in the second, highlighted by Ferguson's three-run homer. Freshman Rebecca Chung got the offense started with a single and moved to third on Melton's double. A single by Funke scored Chung and put two runners on for Ferguson's shot over the right field fence.

Utah State got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the third. Stephanie Reed led off the frame with a hit and was safe at second on Mia Maher's fielder's choice. A hit by Riley Plogger loaded the bases for Lexi Orozco's one-out RBI single. Kennedy Hira was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 7-2.

The Aggies continued to chip away with two more runs in the fifth. Plogger and Leah Molina delivered back-to-back hits and advanced on a passed ball. Both runners scored on a hit by Gabriella Jiminez, bringing the score to 7-4.

The sixth inning brought another Utah State run. Reed got the inning started with a hit, took second on Maher's bunt single and scored on Ryan Holmes' two-out base hit to cut the lead to two runs.

In the seventh, senior Megan Hensley, who had entered in relief of Roby, retired the side in order to pick up her first save of the season. Roby (2-0) picked up her second win of the season, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits and striking out four in 5.0 innings. Hensley gave up one earned run and struck out three in 2.0 innings of relief.

Offensively, Ferguson finished the game with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate and scored a pair of runs to go along with her five RBIs. Chung was 2-for-2 with a run while Melton, Hensley and Roby also collected two hits each. Funke was 1-for-2 with an RBI, two runs and one stolen base.

Delaney Hull (1-2) took the loss after surrendering seven earned runs on six hits. Kapri Toone held the Cardinals in check, tossing 4.2 shutout innings of relief while allowing five hits and fanning five. Holmes paced the Aggies with a 2-for-3, two RBI performance at the plate.

Louisville (3-2) will return to action next weekend when the Cardinals travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face Michigan and Northwestern in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.