Softball Splits on Day Two of Titan Classic

Saturday, February 9

Fullerton, CA

1:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

2-1

Buffalo

0-3

Buffalo

Louisville

Photo by: Adam Creech | Louisville Athletics

February 09, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Louisville 10 - Buffalo 0 (5 innings)

Cards beat Buffalo 10-0, fall 1-0 to Northwestern in pitchers' duel

By: Lori Korte

FULLERTON, Calif. – The University of Louisville softball team split a pair of games on day two of Fullerton's Titan Classic. The Cardinals (2-2) defeated Buffalo 10-0 in game one and then fell short in a 1-0 pitchers' duel against Northwestern.

Louisville 10 – Buffalo 0 (five innings)
In the Cardinals' first game of the day, redshirt freshman Taylor Roby made an impressive debut in the circle, striking out nine in a one-hit shutout and helped her own cause with two RBIs en route to her first career win.

Fellow freshman Rebecca Chung drove in three runs and sophomore Maddy Newman scored three times to pace Louisville offensively as the Cardinals (2-1) totaled 11 hits in the game. The win marked the second-straight one-hit shutout for head coach Holly Aprile's squad.

The Cards jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when junior Celene Funke beat the throw on a one-out bunt and stole second. An error allowed junior Caitlin Ferguson to reach and set up Roby's two-run double.

Louisville used three errors and four hits, included back-to-back triples by Funke and Ferguson to put up a five-spot in the second. Sophomore Maddy Newman got the inning started by reaching on an error. Sophomore Kyra Snyder followed with a hit and stole second. An error sent Newman home. An RBI single by senior Sidney Melton and triples by Funke and Ferguson brought the score to 7-0.

The Cards kept the offense going in the third behind a two-run single by Chung. Freshman Charley Butler walked, Newman singled and Snyder was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the freshman catcher who connected on her first career hit.

The fourth inning brought a final run for Louisville when back-to-back hits by Newman and Snyder set up Chung's third RBI hit of the day.

Ally Power (0-2) took the loss, giving up seven unearned runs on six hits with one strikeout. Jenelle Martinez had the Bulls' lone hit.

Northwestern 1 – Louisville 0
Louisville's second game of the day featured a battle in the circle between Louisville's Danielle Watson and Northwestern's Danielle Williams. Each pitcher was in the midst of a one-hitter through six innings before the Wildcats broke through in the seventh.

Louisville generated some offense early, but came up empty in the first inning. Funke was safe on an infield hit, but a fielder's choice saw her out at second.

Walks put Northwestern runners on in each of the first three innings before a hit by Maeve Nelson broke up Watson's no-hitter in the fourth. A Louisville error put runners at first and second, but Watson and the Cardinals' defense held the Wildcats in check.

Northwestern had another chance in the fifth when Skyler Shellmyer walked and took second on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position, but Louisville catcher senior Madison Cousineau teamed with Melton at third to catch Shellmyer in a steal attempt.

The teams entered the seventh inning locked in a 0-0 stalemate. The Wildcats broke through when Morgan Newport led off the frame with a triple to put the go-ahead run at third with no outs. One out later, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lily Novak sent pinch runner Emma Bartz home to put the Wildcats on top 1-0.

After Funke's hit in the first, Williams retired 17 straight until the bottom of the seventh. Funke led off with a triple for her second hit of the game. With the tying run on third and the game-winning run at the plate and not outs, the Cards could not capitalize.

Watson (1-1) took the loss, giving up one earned run on two hits and striking out six in a complete game effort. Funke registered both of Louisville's hits in the game.

Williams (2-0) got the complete game shutout, holding the Cardinals to two hits and striking out 13. Maeve Nelson and Newport accounted for the Wildcats' hits.

Louisville (2-2) will wrap up the weekend against Utah State on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (ET)