Roby's Walk-Off Single Sends Cards to 8-7 Win Over No. 24/23 Kentucky

Wednesday, April 17

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

28-15

KENTUCKY

26-18

Kentucky

Louisville

Roby's Walk-Off Single Sends Cards to 8-7 Win Over No. 24/23 Kentucky

April 17, 2019 | Softball

Box Score UL 8 - Kentucky 7 Head coach Holly Aprile postgame interview Taylor Roby and Celene Funke postgame interview Photo Gallery Don Dobina Field Dedication Ceremony

Roby picks up the win in the circle to go along with the game-winning hit, Funke goes 4-for-5 with a triple and four runs

By: Lori Korte

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Redshirt Taylor Roby's two-out single in the seventh plated junior Celene Funke and lifted the University of Louisville to an 8-7 win over No. 24/23 Kentucky Wednesday night at Don Dobina Field at Ulmer Stadium.

In a back-and-forth game that featured four lead changes and two ties, the Cardinals snap a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats and bring the overall series record to 20-20.

After Kentucky (26-18) scored two runs in the top of the seventh to knot the score at 7-7, Funke and redshirt senior Sidney Melton delivered back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second for Roby, who sent an 0-1 pitch into centerfield. Funke sprinted home from second for the game-winning run.

Roby (11-1) picked up the win in the circle after giving up two earned runs on five hits and striking out one in 3.2 innings of relief. She helped her own cause at the plate, finishing the game with a 2-for-5, two RBI performance. Sophomore Danielle Watson posted her second save of the year.

Autumn Humes (9-8) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and striking out three in 52. Innings of relief. Lauren Johnson paced the Wildcats, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs.

"It was a great game to play," said UofL head coach Holly Aprile. "I think our fan support is awesome and it is just so much fun to play in this park. In the last inning, we had our fast part of the lineup up… and a great job by (Celene) Funke and Sidney (Melton) to get themselves on, and then Roby came up with that big at bat."

Funke led the Cardinals offensively, going 4-for-5 with three stolen bases and tied a school record with four runs. The speedy centerfielder also connected on her 10^th triple of the season and currently leads the nation in that statistical category.

The Wildcats jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after walks to Jenny Schaper and Abbey Cheek set the table for Katie Reed's two-run single.

In the home half of the inning, Funke singled, Melton reached on an error and senior Megan Hensley delivered an RBI hit to put the Cards on the scoreboard. One out later, freshman Rebecca Chung laid down a bunt single which saw Melton safe at the plate to tie the game at 2-2.

Kentucky regained the lead with a run in the second after Bailey Vick singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch to put the Wildcats back on top 3-2.

Louisville countered with two runs in the bottom of the second as sophomore Maddy Newman drew a leadoff walk and scored on Celene Funke's tenth triple of the season. Funke crossed the plate on an error to push the Cards ahead 4-3.

Once again the Wildcats answered, this time courtesy of Lauren Johnson's RBI double which tied the game at 4-4.

The Cards regained the lead with a three-spot in the third, capitalizing on singles by Funke and Melton and an RBI triple by Hensley make the score 7-4.

Kentucky began to chip away at the lead with Alex Martens' two-out solo home run in the fourth.

The seventh inning saw two more Kentucky runs as Vick started the frame with a single and scored on a double by Johnson. Schaper's sacrifice fly brought the score to 7-7 for the third tie of the game.

Roby's walk-off single in the seventh marked the second time in as many home games that the Cardinals have upset a ranked opponent in the bottom of the seventh. On April 8, the Cards used a walk-off double by freshman Rebecca Chung to upend No. 3/3 Florida State.

UofL will return to action this weekend when the Cardinals play host to Georgia Tech in a three-game ACC series starting Friday at 6 p.m.

TEAM NOTES:

The University of Louisville softball team named its field Don Dobina Field at Ulmer Stadium to honor the legacy of local softball coach, donor and UofL alum Don Dobina. The ceremony took place in a pregame ceremony.
Tonight's attendance, 1,254 was the sixth largest in program history.
The series between Louisville and Kentucky is now tied 20-20.
Louisville now has five wins against ranked teams on the season (No. 15/17 Michigan, 2-1, No. 24/19 Virginia Tech 7-5, No. 3/3 Florida State 2-0 and 10-9, No. 24/23 Kentucky 8-7)
Louisville now has a school-record 80 stolen bases as a team – the previous record was 68, set in the 2010 season.
Funke leads the team with a .336 batting average, 39 runs and 10 triples.
Hensley holds onto the team lead with 34 RBIs.
Roby leads the team with an 11-1 record and a 1.67 ERA.
Watson has a team-best 120 strikeouts in 114.0 innings.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Charley Butler is on a season-high nine game hitting streak
Sidney Melton
Melton has reached safely in the last seven games
With her stolen base, Melton pushes her season total to 23 – a career high for her. She also stands tied for third with Audrey Rendon (2007) on Louisville's single-season list and needs four more to tie Rendon (2008) for second.
Melton has 56 career stolen bases, good for third on Louisville's all-time list. She needs four more to tie Jennifer Esteban (2010-13) for second.
Celene Funke
With her triple in the game, Funke moves into a tie for first with Audrey Rendon (2005) on Louisville's single-season list with 10. She also takes sole possession of the NCAA's current triples lead.
Funke now has 12 career triples, placing her fourth on Louisville's all-time list. She needs one more to move into a tie for third with Courtney Moore (2004-07).
Funke's four hits and runs were a career high and tied a school record.
With a career-high three stolen bases in the game, Funke moves her season tally to 21 and stands fifth on Louisville's single season list. She needs two more to catch up with Melton in a three-way tie for third.
Megan Hensley
Hensley extends her career RBI total to 163 and stands fifth on Louisville's all-time list. She needs two more to tie Alicja Wolny (2010-13) for fourth.