Cards Fall Short Against Northwestern in Sunday Matchup

Sunday, February 17

Chapel Hill, NC

10:00 a.m.

University of Louisville

4-5

Northwestern

7-2

Louisville

Northwestern

Photo by: Jermaine Bibb | Louisville Athletics

Cards Fall Short Against Northwestern in Sunday Matchup

February 17, 2019 | Softball

Box Score Northwestern 4 - Louisville 2

Freshman Rebecca Chung drove in both of Louisville's runs in 4-2 loss

By: Lori Korte

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 4-2 to Northwestern despite outhitting the Wildcats 7-6 in their final game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Sunday morning at North Carolina's Anderson Stadium.

Junior Caitlin Ferguson tallied two hits and scored a run while freshman Rebecca Chung drove in both RBIs to lead the Cards at the plate.

The Cardinals (4-5) took an early 1-0 lead, but fell behind 4-1 as Northwestern scored two in the second and a run in the third and fifth innings. An RBI double by Chung in the sixth cut the lead to two runs, and the Cards had two on with the go-ahead run at the plate in the seventh, but could not capitalize on the opportunity.

Senior Sidney Melton and junior Celene Funke started the game with back-to-back singles and senior Megan Hensley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. An obstruction ruling on freshman Rebecca Chung's sacrifice fly saw Melton safe at the plate to give Louisville a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Northwestern (7-2) countered with two runs in the home half of the second. Nikki Cuchran was hit by a pitch and lifted for pinch runner Emma Bartz, who proceeded to steal second. Lily Novak's base hit put runners on the corners for Danielle Williams' two-run single.

The Wildcats increased their lead to 3-1 with doubles by Morgan Newport and Cuchran.

The fifth inning brought another Northwestern run as Maeve Nelson earned a two-out walk, moved to third when Cuchran reached on an error and score on Novak's base hit to make it a 4-1 game.

The Cards pulled within two runs behind Chung's RBI double in the sixth. Ferguson connected on her second hit of the game and scored from first when Chung ripped a shot to left field to make the score 4-2.

Louisville threatened to score again in the seventh when freshman Cassady Greenwood delivered a one-out single and Melton was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second with two outs, but a fly out to left field ended the game.

Freshman Taylor Roby (2-1) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on two hits in one inning. Senior Megan Hensley allowed one earned run on two hits and struck out six in 3.1 innings of relief.

Northwestern's Williams (6-0) picked up the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits and striking out seven in a complete game effort. She also collected two RBIs to help her own cause. Newport and Novak each finished the game with two hits.

TEAM NOTES:
• Sidney Melton now has 117 career runs, moving her into a tie for 10th on Louisville list for career runs and needs two more to tie for ninth with Nicole Pufahl (2015-18).
• Rebecca Chung leads the Cards with a .500 batting average and seven RBIs as well as an .833 slugging percentage and a .588 on-base percentage.
• Celene Funke has now reached via a hit or an error in eight straight games.
• The series between Louisville and Northwestern is now tied at 5-5