Cards Drop Friday Games in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Friday, February 15

Chapel Hill, NC

11:00 a.m.

University of Louisville

3-3

Northwestern

5-1

Northwestern

Louisville

Photo by: Adam Creech | Louisville Athletics

February 15, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Northwestern 9 - Louisville 8 (9 inn.)Michigan 6 - Louisville 0

Cards fall 9-8 to Northwestern in nine innings, lose 6-0 to No. 15/17 Michigan

By: Lori Korte

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 9-8 to Northwestern in nine innings and lost 6-0 to No. 15/17 Michigan on day one of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Friday afternoon at North Carolina's Anderson Stadium. The Cardinals (3-4) will face the Wolverines again on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Northwestern 9 – Louisville 8 (9 inn.)
The Cardinals built an 8-3 lead through six innings, but could not overcome a late rally by Northwestern as the Wildcats prevailed 9-8 in nine innings in the tournament opener. Senior Megan Hensley went 3-for-5 with a home run and a triple and drove in three runs to lead the Cardinals at the plate. Sophomore Danielle Watson struck out five in 2.2 innings of relief.

Northwestern (5-1) opened the game with three runs in the first. Rachel Lewis and Morgan Nelson drew back-to-back walks. An error on Jordyn Rudd's fielder's choice sent Lewis home. Nikki Cuchran's two-run single gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals countered with a five-spot in the home half of the inning. Senior Sidney Melton was hit by a pitch and scored on Celene Funke's third triple of the season. Hensley stepped up to the plate and drilled a shot over the fence in right center to even the score at 3-3. Roby followed with a single and, one out later, freshman Rebecca Chung lifted a two-run shot over centerfield to put Louisville on top 5-3.

Louisville tacked on another run in the third when junior Caitlin Ferguson doubled and crossed the plate on an error to push the lead to 6-3.

The Cards added another run in the fourth when Funke single and scored on a triple by Hensley to make the score 7-3.

The fifth inning brought one final Louisville run after Chung was hit by a pitch and was lifted for pinch-runner Jordan Wolfe who stole second, moved to third on a groundout and crossed the plate on a passes ball to give Louisville an 8-3 advantage.

In the top of the seventh, Northwestern used three hits, three walks and a hit batter to put even the score at 8-8 and forced the game into extra innings.

Maeve Nelson's two-out solo shot in the ninth gave the Wildcats a 9-8 lead.

Watson took the loss after giving up one earned run on one hit and striking out four in 2.2 innings of relief. Roby got the start in the circle for the Cards and allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out two. Hensley entered the game in relief and surrendered five earned runs on five hits while striking out three.

Danielle Williams (4-0) got the win, holding the Cardinals scoreless and striking out four in 3.0 innings. Newport paced the Wildcats offensively with three hits and a run.

Michigan 6 – Louisville 0
In the second game of the day, the Wolverines built a 5-0 lead through two innings and added a run in the fifth to back Meghan Beaubien's one-hitter as No. 15/17 Michigan beat Louisville 6-0.

Michigan (4-2) took an early lead in the bottom of the first behind Haley Hoogenraad's two-run single.

The Wolverines capitalized on four hits and a sacrifice fly to tack on three more runs in the second with RBIs from Lexie Blair, Morgan Overatis and Katie Alexander.

The final run of the game came in the fifth when Hoogenrad singled and scored on a hit by Peters.

The Cardinals' best chance to score came in the fourth when Hensley walked and moved to second on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position with one out, but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat. Funke accounted for Louisville's only hit after she beat the throw for an infield single in the sixth.

Beaubien (1-1) got the complete game shutout win while striking out eight. Hoogenraad went 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the Wolverines at the plate.

Watson (1-3) took the loss, after giving up five earned runs on seven hits and striking out one in two innings.

Softball Announces Fall Hitting Clinics

Monday, August 25

13 Cards Named to All-ACC Academic Softball Team

Thursday, July 10

Cards Add Right-Handed Pitcher Madi Reeves to the Roster

Monday, June 09

Cards Add Anna Wise to the 2025-26 Roster

Monday, June 02

Next Event

Michigan

W, 2-1

Feb 16 (Sat)

5:00 p.m.

Box Score Recap Preview Live stats History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Williams, Danielle (4-0)

L: Watson, Danielle (1-2)

Northwestern

Batting:

HR: Nelson, Maeve 1

RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 2 ; Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1 ; Novak, Lily 1

SH: Nelson, Maeve 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Stees, Eva 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Williams, Danielle 1 ; Novak, Lily 1 ; Shellmyer, Skyler 1