Louisville Tops Syracuse 4-2 in ACC Opener

Friday, March 15

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

18-7, 0

SYRACUSE

8-15, 0

Syracuse

Louisville

March 15, 2019 | Softball

Box Score Louisville 4 - Syracuse 2 Sidney Melton Postgame Interview

Melton drives in all four runs, Funke ties a school record with two triples and scores a pair runs

By: Dalton Ray

The University of Louisville softball team notched its first ACC win with a 4-2 victory over Syracuse (8-15, 0-1) Friday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium.

The Cardinals (18-7, 1-0 ACC) and the Orange (8-15, 0-1) will meet in game two on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Redshirt senior Sidney Melton pushed the winning runs across in the sixth inning with a three-run double to help the Cards overcome a 2-1 deficit. Sophomore Danielle Watson (6-5) pitched a complete game, striking out nine and allowing four hits.

Melton finished the game with four RBIs, going 2-for-3 at the plate. The redshirt senior said she got familiar with Syracuse pitcher Alexa Romero.

"That was my fourth at bat so I had seen her a couple of times so I thought I could get on top of the ball. I knew what she was throwing so I could hit it square," Melton said.

Junior Celene Funke tied a school record with a pair of triples, scored two runs and added a stolen base in the win. The centerfielder has an ACC- and team-high eight triples.

Syracuse crossed the plate first in the third inning for an unearned run. The Cards responded in the fifth with Melton's single driving home Funke. Another unearned run by the Orange in the sixth inning gave the lead back to Syracuse.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Roby recorded a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth. A strike out put the pressure on as sophomore Maddy Newman took the plate. The Indiana native dropped down a bunt and beat out the throw to first to keep the scoring chance alive.

Funke walked to load the bases with two outs. With a 0-1 count, Melton cracked a bases-clearing double to flip the scoring favor back to Louisville.

Watson stamped the game a two swinging-strikeouts to finish off the Orange.

Alexa Romero (4-4) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight in 6.0 innings.

LOUISVILLE NOTES

Louisville is 4-1 in ACC openers and 15-5 in conference openers overall.
The Cardinals are 7-0 at Ulmer Stadium this season.
UofL has won 12 of its last 13 games.
Celene Funke tied a school record with two triples in the game. She now has eight triples on the season and 10 in her career- placing her tied for fourth on Louisville's all-time list.
Funke is currently on a nine-game hitting streak. She leads the team with a .407 batting average, 35 hits, 25 runs and a .674 slugging percentage.
Melton has reached base via a hit or a walk in the last nine games.
Melton leads the team with 11 stolen bases and has 44 in her career, standing sixth on Louisville's all-time list. She needs two more to move into a three-way tie for fourth with Kristin Austin (2009-12) and Candi Hicks (2004-07)
Rebecca Chung extended her hitting streak to seven games.
Danielle Watson earned her sixth win of the season – all three of Louisville's starting pitchers have six wins apiece.