Softball Closes the Weekend with a Pair of Wins

Sunday, March 8

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:15 pM

University of Louisville

9-13

ILLINOIS

10-10

Illinois

Louisville

March 08, 2020 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Higlights from the 4-3 win against Illinois

Cards defeat Illinois 4-3, Evansville 9-1

By: Lori Harmon and Dalton Ray

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team wrapped up the 2020 Red & Black Challenge with a pair of wins, defeating Illinois 4-3 and Evansville 9-1 in five innings Sunday at Ulmer Stadium.

The Cardinals finished the weekend with a 3-1 record, picking up wins over Northwestern, Illinois and Evansville after dropping the first game of the tournament in a 2-1 eight-inning loss to the Illini.

On Sunday, redshirt junior Carmyn Greenwood led the charge offensively, going 5-for-6 with a home run, a double, three runs and an RBI on the day. Junior Chardonnay Harris and redshirt sophomore Taylor Roby each picked up a win in the circle.

Louisville 4 – Illinois 3

In their first game of the day, Louisville built an early 3-0 lead, but Illinois rallied with runs in the fourth and sixth to even the score before an error allowed Roby to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh.

Harris (5-6) recorded the win after giving up three earned runs on five hits and striking out three in a complete game effort. Roby went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs to lead her team at the plate.

The Cardinals took the lead with three runs in the third. Freshman Jenna Servi started the home half of the inning with a double, moved to second on sophomore Cassady Greenwood's sacrifice bunt and scored on a hit by senior Celene Funke. Roby followed with a two-run shot over the left field fence for her team-best seventh homer of the season.

The Illini (10-10) answered with a pair of runs in the fourth. Avery Steiner delivered a leadoff single to set up Delaney Rummell's two-run homer which cut the lead to one run.

Illinois evened the score with a run in the sixth when Miranda Gallardo led off with a triple and was safe on a play at the plate when Bella Loya reached on a fielder's choice.

With the contest tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh, Kelly Ryono singled to put a runner on for the Illini. With two outs in the inning, Louisville catcher Rebecca Chung threw a strike to second baseman Maddy Newman who tagged Ryono as she attempted to steal second.

Roby led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, took second on senior Caitlin Ferguson's sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on an error on the plate to give the Cardinals the 4-3 win.

Addy Jarvis (5-5) took the loss, allowing one unearned run on one hit and striking out one in 0.2 innings of relief.

"This game was tough," said UofL head coach Holly Aprile. "We battled with them… I think we match up with them really similarly. They have a good pitching staff, so we were really glad to get that win and to be able to come up with some big plays to get that win."

Louisville 9 – Evansville 1 (5 inn.)
In the final game of the tournament, Roby (5-7) surrendered one unearned run and scattered two hits in 5.0 innings while fanning seven. Carmyn Greenwood went 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs and an RBI to lead the Cardinals offensively. Seniors Caitlin Ferguson and Celene Funke both went 2-for-2 and Funke added a career-high three stolen bases.

Louisville (10-13) scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Carmyn Greenwood started the offense with a hit and eventually crossed the plate on a fielder's choice by her sister Cassady Greenwood. Junior Jordan Wolfe was hit by a pitch and junior Maddy Newman singled to load the bases for senior Caitlin Ferguson who connected on a three-run single.

Carmyn Greenwood tacked on the fifth run of the ball game by crushing a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the second inning.

Evansville (11-11) got on the scoreboard in the third when Lindsay Renneisen doubled, took third on a passed ball and score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jessica Fehr.

The Cardinals got the run back plus another in the third. Ferguson's hot bat continued in the third inning, recording a triple off a hit to left field. Junior Madison Ciaccio's single drove Ferguson home on the next at bat. Ciaccio went on to score when an error allowed Funke to reach, extending Louisville's lead to 7-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Newman singled and stole second to set up an RBI hit by Elana Ornelas.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, junior Riley Schindler was hit by a pitch to bring in Carmyn Greenwood for the 9-1 final.

"I'm really happy with our quality at-bats in this game," said Aprile. "I think we built off of our at-bats against Illinois where we were a little low, but we talked about some things and made some adjustments and improvements and Roby had a good outing on the mound. I was really happy with the win."

Louisville hosts Boston College (9-12, 1-2 ACC) next weekend for the Cardinals' first ACC action of the season.