Cards Split Doubleheader with No. 3/3 Florida State

Saturday, April 6

LOUISVILLE, KY

1:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

24-13, 0

FLORIDA STATE

36-4, 0

Florida State

Louisville

April 06, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Louisville 2 - Florida State 0 Florida State 4 - Louisville 1 Game 2 Highlights Danielle Watson Postgame Interview Holly Aprile Postgame Interview

Watson tosses a one-hit shutout, Hensley connects on a two-run homer as Cards take game one 2-0; Florida State evens the series with a 4-1 win in game two

By: Lori Korte

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sophomore Danielle Watson tossed a one-hit complete-game shutout and senior Megan Hensley backed her with a two-run home run as the Cardinals upset No. 3/3 Florida State in game one of an ACC doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Seminoles countered with a 4-1 win in game two to even the series.

Louisville (24-14, 5-6 ACC) and Florida State (37-4, 9-2) will meet in the rubber-game Monday at 7 p.m. That matchup will air live on ESPNU with Melissa Lee calling play-by-play and Carol Bruggeman providing analysis.

Louisville 2 – No. 3/3 Florida State 0
Watson (8-10) turned in a solid performance, striking out seven and notching her second complete game one-hitter of the season.

The Cards jumped to an early lead when junior Celene Funke opened the home half of the first with a single and, one out later, Hensley crushed a shot over the centerfield fence. Her team-best fifth homer of the season gave Louisville a 2-0 lead. The home run stood as the game-winning hit and the senior would later register a single in the sixth to finish the contest with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate.

After surrendering a hit to Zoe Casas in the second, Watson would go on to retire the next 10 batters she faced before issuing a walk in the fifth. She then sat down the next six batters before allowing walk to Casas with two outs in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate. Watson got Cassidy Davis to hit into a fielder's choice to Caitlin Ferguson at shortstop who teamed with second baseman Maddy Newman for the final out of the game.

Meghan King (19-2) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on three hits and striking out five in 4.0 innings. After giving up two runs in the first and allowing a hit to Kyra Snyder in the second, the Seminoles' senior pitcher held up her end of the pitchers' duel, retiring 13 consecutive Louisville batters until the sixth inning when Hensley connected on Louisville's fourth hit of the game.

No. 3/3 Florida State 4 – Louisville 1
In game two of Saturday's doubleheader, senior Sidney Melton paced the Cardinals offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and scored a run, but Florida State prevailed 4-1.

The Seminoles took a 1-0 lead in the second when two walks and an error loaded the bases with two outs for Savannah Parker who earned a walk to plate Casas.

Florida State used three hits, including doubles by Sydney Sherrill and Makinzy Herzog to plate two more runs in the third.

The fifth inning brought one more Seminole run as Carsyn Gordon singled and eventually came home on a groundout by Dani Morgan to extend Florida State's lead to 4-0.

The Cards got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when senior Sidney Melton connected on a triple and crossed the plate on senior Madison Cousineau's sacrifice fly in foul territory to make the score 4-1.

Louisville threatened again in the seventh when freshman Charley Butler tripled to put a runner in scoring position with one out, but FSU reliever Meghan King got a groundout and a strikeout to end the game.

Hensley (9-3) took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits and striking out two in 2.1 innings of work. Freshman Taylor Roby came on in relief and gave up one earned run on one hit.

Herzog (6-1) picked up the win after holding the Cards scoreless on two hits in 4.0 innings. King gave up an earned run on two hits and struck out four to earn the save in 3.0 innings of relief.

NOTES:

Florida State currently leads the series 14-5
Louisville's win over No. 3 Florida State marks the first victory over at top five opponent since the Cardinals defeated then-No. 5 Florida State 4-0 in Tallahassee on May 7, 2016. In that game, Hensley tossed a complete game shutout.
Hensley now has 30 career home runs, placing her in sole possession of seventh place on Louisville's all-time list. She needs one more to tied Kristi Cunningham (2006-09) for sixth.
Hensley also increases her career RBI tally to 155. She stands sixth on Louisville's all-time list, needing two more to tie Maryssa Becker (2014-17) for fifth.
Melton adds one more run to push her career total to 136. She currently stands seventh on Louisville's all-time list and needs two more to tie Jennifer Esteban (2010-13) for sixth.
Freshman Taylor Roby leads the team with a .348 batting average.
Melton has a team-best five home runs and 26 RBIs.
Sophomore Kyra Snyder has reached safely in 13 straight games.