Cards Come Up Short in 4-2 Eight-Inning Loss to Syracuse

Sunday, March 17

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

SYRACUSE

Cards Come Up Short in 4-2 Eight-Inning Loss to Syracuse

March 17, 2019 | Softball

Box Score Syracuse 4 - Louisville 2

Cards fall 4-2 in the series finale

By: Dalton Ray

The University of Louisville softball team dropped the series finale against Syracuse (9-16, 1-2) in extra innings 4-2 at Ulmer Stadium for their first home loss of the season.

Sophomore Danielle Watson (6-6) went 7.1 innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Junior Caitlin Ferguson finished the game with two RBIs. Sophomore Maddy Newman and redshirt freshman Taylor Roby both went 2-for-4 at the plate and junior Celene Funke stole three bases and scored a run in the loss.

Syracuse (9-16, 1-2 ACC) jumped on the scoreboard in the first, after Alicia Hansen's infield pop-up fell in for a hit and back-to-back errors as she stole second sent her home.

The Cardinals (19-8, 2-1) tightened up behind Watson, who had a career day in the circle. Through five innings, the sophomore reached 10 strikeouts and scattered three hits.

In the bottom of the fifth, Funke sparked life into the Cards with a leadoff single followed by a stolen base start the bottom of the frame. Redshirt senior Sidney Melton's single pushed Funke to third and a sac fly from Ferguson scored the centerfielder to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the seventh, Alex Acevedo singled and pinch-runner Lailoni Mayfeild was safe at second on Louisville's third defensive miscue of game. With two outs, Syracuse's Gabby Teran's RBI single put Syracuse back on top 2-1.

The Cards answered when sophomore Maddy Newman singled to start the bottom of the seventh and stole second base. A pair of walks to Melton and senior Megan Hensley loaded the bases, bringing up Ferguson. The shortstop delivered a hit to second base and beat out the throw to first to score the game-tying run. Ferguson's fielder's choice saw Hensley out at second and put runners on the corners, but a fly out to right field kept the score knotted at 2-2.

The eighth inning brought two more Syracuse runs. Neli Casares-Maher double and, one out later, Hannah Dossett's double pushed her team ahead 3-2. Toni Martin's RBI hit plated an insurance run to make the score 4-2.

The Cardinals attempted another rally in the bottom of the eighth when sophomore Kyra Snyder walked and was replaced by pinch runner freshman Charley Butler, who stole second. An infield hit by Newman put the tying run on first with two outs, but a lineout to second ended the game.

Louisville travels to Notre Dame for an ACC series this weekend before returning home to take on Indiana Tuesday, March 26 at 5 p.m.