Louisville Red & Black Challenge Schedule Altered - Cards Play Host to Valpo, WKU Saturday

WEEKEND INFORMATION
Red & Black Challenge
Dates: March 13-14, 2021
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venues: Ulmer Stadium
Live Scoring: GoCards.com
Twitter Updates: @UofLSoftball
Admission: Player pass list inside the stadium. Berm seating open.
Louisville Game Notes
Weekend Schedule
Saturday, March 13
11:30 AM - Louisville vs. Valpo
Live scoring | ACCNE Watch Link
2:00 PM Valpo vs WKU - Live scoring
4:30 PM Louisville vs. WKU
Live scoring | ACCNE Watch Link
Sunday, March14
2:30 PM WKU vs. Valpo - Live scoring

The schedule for this weekend's Louisville Softball Red & Black Challenge has been altered due to rain in the forecast. The Cardinals will now play two games on Saturday, taking on Valpo at 11:30 a.m. and following with the originally-slated 4:30 p.m. matchup against the Hilltoppers. The Louisville games will be televised on ACC Network Extra.

2021 Red & Black Challenge
Saturday, March 13
11:30 a.m. – Louisville vs. Valpo
2:00 p.m. – WKU vs. Valpo
4:30 p.m. – Louisville vs. WKU
Sunday, March 14
4:30 p.m. – Louisville vs. WKU

ULMER STADIUM ATTENDANCE POLICY
In 2021, attendance will be limited to 20 percent capacity at Ulmer Stadium. Due to these capacity limitations, tickets will not be made available to the general public. All home contests will be televised and/or streamed for those that can't attend. Tickets will only be available to guests of Louisville student-athletes, coaches and visiting team, along with a limited number for UofL Students.

BERM SEATING
Berm and greenspace areas around Ulmer Stadium are publicly accessible areas that offer views of the action at Don Dobina Field at Ulmer Stadium. While the berm is outside the confines of the stadium, the following of CDC guidelines including social distancing and masking is advised for any fan who chooses to view a game from these areas.

For more information please visit here.

CARDINAL NOTES
• UofL will continue its 20-game home stand this weekend when the Cards play host to Western Kentucky and Valpo in the Red & Black Challenge.
• Louisville brings a 7-7 record into the weekend following Tuesday's 8-1 win against Bellarmine.
• Taylor Roby leads the team with a .400 batting average, four home runs and has driven in 14
• Roby has also produced a team-best five multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.
   ^ She was named ACC Player of the Week on February 23.
• Roby is on a six-game hitting streak and has reached safely via a hit or walk in the last seven games.
• Carmyn Greenwood stands second on the team with a .333 batting average and has four multi-hit games this season. She has also scored a team-best eight runs.
• Jennifer Leonhardt, a graduate transfer from the University of Southern Indiana leads the Cardinals' pitching rotation with a 2.55 ERA. The RHP has logged a team-high 28 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
• Leonhardt has been named a top 30 candidate for the Senior CLASS Award.
• Celene Funke currently stands second on Louisville's all-time list for triples with 20 and needs six more to tie for the lead.
• Funke is also third on Louisville's career list for stolen bases with 63 and needs five more to move into a tie for second.
• Louisville was picked to finish seventh in the preseason ACC Coaches poll.

THE APRILE ERA
• Holly Aprile is in her third season as UofL's head coach. With the 2020 campaign suspended prior to its midway point due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Aprile has compiled a 52-43 record and guided the Cardinals to an NCAA regional final appearance in 2019.
• Prior to her arrival at Louisville, Aprile, 2018 ACC Coach of the Year spent 10 seasons (2009-18) as Pittsburgh's head coach and five years (2004-08) as an assistant. In 2018, she earned ACC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Panthers to the 2018 ACC Coastal Division title and a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Western Kentucky
Series Record: UL leads 18-3.
Last Meeting: The last meeting between the Cards and the Hilltoppers resulted in a 7-2 win for Louisville. The matchup took place on April 3, 2019 in Bowling Green, KY where Taylor Roby earned the win for the Cards over Hilltopper Kelsey Aikey.
Scouting the Hilltoppers: WKU enters the Red & Black Challenge with a 9-3 record. The Hilltoppers were picked by coaches to win the Conference USA East Division, and fields three preseason All-C-USA East-Conference team selectees; pitchers Kelsey Aikey, Shelby Nunn and Kendall Smith.
• Leading the Hilltoppers at the plate is Kennedy Sullivan, batting .438 this season with 14 hits, including three doubles, three home runs, and 15 RBIs.
• Sullivan is also a top contender in the circle with a 3.05 earned run average over 18.1 innings. She has given up just 10 hits and dealt 17 strikeouts.
• Katie Gardner has also dominated in the circle for WKU with an ERA of 0.91 over 15.1 innings. Gardner has dealt out 23 strikeouts and sits at a record of 2-0 on the season so far.
• The Hilltoppers are led by head coach Amy Tudor who holds a 183-138-1 record in her eight-year stint with the Tops. Tudor led the Hilltoppers to a C-USA East Division Title in 2019 and guided her team to a 20-5 record in the shortened 2020 season.

Valparaiso
Series Record: UL leads 1-0
Last Meeting: May 18, 2012- UL won 6-4 at Ulmer Stadium in an NCAA Regional.
Scouting Valparaiso: Valpo enters the weekend with a 4-6 overall record. Valpo finished 2-2 during last weekend of play in the Thundering Herd Round Robin.
• Addi Burke leads Valpo at the plate posting a .385 batting average. Taylor Tonoian and Brittany Anderson have two home runs each while Peyton Moeder is 3-for-4 in stolen bases.
• In the circle Caitlyn Kowalski leads the pitchers with an ERA of 2.33, 28 strikeouts and three wins.

UP LAST
Louisville 8 - Bellarmine 1
Carmyn Greenwood had a home run and a triple with two RBIs while Jordyn Wolfe registered a triple drove in two runs to lead the Cardinals at the plate. Maddy Newman tallied two hits and scored twice while Taryn Weddle drove in a pair of runs as Louisville outhit the Knights 10-6, with four of those hits falling in for extra bases.
• Taylor Roby picked up the win, holding Bellarmine scoreless on four this and striking out four in 4.0 innings. Jennifer Leonhardt allowed one run and scattered two hits while striking out six in 3.0 innings as she earned her second save of the season.

RECAPPING THE CARDINAL CLASSIC
Louisville posted a 3-1 record in its home-opening Cardinal Classic last weekend. The Cards opened the tournament on Friday with a doubleheader sweep of Bradley, winning 9-1 and 9-0. Louisville picked up its third straight win on Saturday, defeating DePaul 3-0. The win streak came to an end on Sunday with a 4-0 loss to Miami (Ohio).
• Carmyn Greenwood helped lead the Cardinals on the weekend by batting .636 (7-for-11) with a double, two runs and a stolen base. The redshirt senior tallied three multi-hit games and reached safely via a hit or a walk in all four games on the weekend. She posted a .727 slugging percentage and paced the team with a .692 on-base percentage.
               The left fielder went 3-for-3 in the 3-0 win against DePaul, tying a career high in hits on Saturday. She went 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base in the weekend-opening win against Bradley and wrapped the tournament with a 2-for-4 showing against Miami (Ohio). In the 9-0 victory over Bradley, Greenwood was walked and hit by a pitch and scored a run in the contest.
• Taylor Roby led the Cardinals with two wins in the circle this weekend, picking up the win in the 9-1 victory over Bradley and combined with Jennifer Leonhardt in a 3-0 shutout of DePaul. Roby surrendered only one run and posting a 0.64 ERA. The redshirt junior made three appearances, scattered eight hits and struck out six in 11.0 innings while holding opponents to a .200 batting average.
• Roby batted .556 (5-for-9) with a home run and a double while driving in four runs and scoring two. She was also walked three times.
               Roby had at least one hit in every game to extend her season-high hitting streak to five. Went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the win against DePaul. Tallied four RBIs and two runs on the weekend. Crushed a three-run homer in the 9-0 win against Bradley on Friday.

UP NEXT
Louisville will continue its 20-game home stand next weekend when the Cardinals play host to No. 25 Clemson in a four-game series at Ulmer Stadium.

TOUGH SLATE
Louisville's 2021 slate is highlighted by seven teams in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches' Top 25 polls including: No. 4/4 Alabama, No. 6/5 Florida, No. 15/16 Florida State, No. 9/10 Kentucky, No. 16/15 Virginia Tech, No. 13/13   Duke and No. 25 Clemson
• Four of Louisville's seven losses have come against teams ranked in the top 10 (Alabama and Florida).
• In response to the ongoing pandemic, the annual ACC/Big Ten challenge has been cancelled and the ACC has implemented four-game series to limit travel between conference opponents.
• Ulmer Stadium is set to host 28 games throughout the season, including two tournaments in March: the Cardinal Classic and the Red & Black Challenge.
• UofL will host the ACC Tournament from May 12-15, where the top 10 conference teams will be eligible to participate this year.

DUAL THREATS
Three of Louisville's starting pitchers can also help their cause at the plate.
Taylor Roby leads the team with four home runs and 14 RBI.
• The right-handed pitcher is picking up where she left off last season when she led the team with a career-high seven home runs and 16 RBI in 2020.
• Additionally, the redshirt junior has logged a team-high 36.0 innings and issued 19 strikeouts.
Jennifer Leonhardt (0-2) leads the team with a 2.55 ERA. The graduate senior transfer from the University of Southern Indiana has three hits thus far, but finished her undergrad career with a .327 batting average.
Gabby Holloway (2-2) has logged 25.0 innings, standing a close second behind Roby in innings pitched. The freshman has issued 10 strikeouts on the season. She carries a .286 batting average.

ROOKIE CONTRIBUTIONS
UofL's five freshmen have already made immediate impacts in the lineup.
• Sydney Bickel has played in 10 games, starting nine at shortstop.
• Taryn Weddle has started every game at catcher or as the designated player.
• Gabby Holloway has made eight appearances in the circle and recorded the win against Virginia on Feb. 20.
• Mia Forsythe and Vanessa Miller have also seen playing time in six and four games respectively.

TRIPLE TREAT
Celene Funke connected her second triple of the season in the 9-0 win over Bradley, extending career total to 20. She currently stands second on Louisville's all-time list and needs six more more to tie Audrey Rendon (2004-07) for first.
• Funke led the nation in triples with 13 in 2019, setting the school single season record along the way.

FUNKE FAST (STOLEN BASE EDITION)
Celene Funke registered her first stolen base of the season in the 5-4 win against Virginia on Feb. 20. She extends her career total to 63 and stands third on Louisville's all-time stolen base list - she needs five more to tie Sidney Melton (2015-19) for third. Audrey Rendon (2004-07) holds the record with 82.

SISTER ACT
• Louisville's roster features two sets of sisters: the Schindlers and the Greenwoods.
• Senior outfielder Carmyn Greenwood transferred to Louisville from Auburn in the 2020 season, joining her sister, Cassady who is a junior catcher for the Cardinals.
• Senior pitcher Paige Schindler and outfielder Riley Schindler are among 21 sets of twins in NCAA Division I softball who play for the same team. Paige Schindler is sidelined this season due to injury.
• All four sisters saw action in the Feb. 8, 2020 game against Texas State. Carmyn Greenwood was in left field while sister Cassady was catching and Riley Schindler was playing right field while Paige was pitching.

SUPER SENIORS CELENE FUNKE AND JENNIFER LEONHARDT
UofL has two "super seniors" on its roster in the form of graduate students Celene Funke and Jennifer Leonhardt, both of whom are utilizing an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA following the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign.
               Funke (Carmel, Ind.) was leading the team in stolen bases (13-for-13) and triples (3) when her senior season came to an abrupt halt after 23 games. In 2019, she led the nation in triples and set a school record with 13 while registering a team-best 48 runs and standing second with a .324 batting average and 29 stolen bases. The speedy centerfielder currently stands second on Louisville's career list for triples (18) and third on the all-time stolen base list with 62.
               Funke is also the program's first three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American (2018, 2019) and is pursuing her MBA after earning her undergraduate degree in finance in May 2019.
               Leonhardt returns to her hometown after completing her career at the University of Southern Indiana where she was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American. The right-handed pitcher will play for the Cardinals while attending UofL's School of Dentistry.
               Leonhardt led the USI to the 2018 NCAA Division II national title and earned Most Outstanding Player of the 2018 NCAA Division II Softball Championship Series honors.
               As her senior campaign was cut short, Leonhardt carried a 7-3 record with a 1.63 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 68.2 innings of work. She also led the team with a .386 batting average.
               Leonhardt finished her career at USI as the program's all-time leader in wins (83), strikeouts (787) and complete game shutouts (35) while standing second in saves (8) and innings pitched (730.2). At the plate, she registered a .327 career batting average with 87 RBIs and 74 runs.

HOME SWEET HOME
Louisville has a 4-1 record at Ulmer Stadium so far this season and is 24-7
at home in the last three easons under head coach Holly Aprile.
• The Cardinals compiled a 4-1 record in the shortened 2020 season. Prior to that, Louisville registered a 16-5 record at Ulmer Stadium in 2020 with three wins over ranked opponents (No. 3/3 Florida State twice and No. 24/23 Kentucky).

LEONHARDT NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE
Jennifer Leonhardt has been named one 30 candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS® Award in collegiate softball.
•To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
• Leonhardt, right-handed pitcher who hails from Louisville, Ky. (Fern Creek HS) is a graduate transfer from the University of Southern Indiana and is utilizing an extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA following the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.
• The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists in March, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
• The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2021 Women's College World Series® in June.

CARDS PICKED TO FINISH SEVENTH IN ACC
The University of Louisville softball team was picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference released its preseason coaches poll.
2021 ACC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1) Florida State (141 pts, nine first-place votes)
2) Virginia Tech (136 pts, four first-place votes)
3) Notre Dame (114 pts)
4) Duke (99 pts)
5) North Carolina (96 pts)
6) Clemson (88 pts)
7) Louisville (81 pts)
8) NC State (78 pts)
9) Georgia Tech (61 pts)
10) Syracuse (39 pts)
11) Pitt (31 pts)
12) Virginia (28 pts)
13) Boston College (22 pts)

University of Louisville Athletics

Louisville Red & Black Challenge Schedule Altered - Cards Play Host to Valpo, WKU Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Bickel

Mia Forsythe

Celene Funke

Carmyn Greenwood

Gabby Holloway

Jennifer Leonhardt

Vanessa Miller

Maddy Newman

Taylor Roby

Paige Schindler

Riley Schindler

Taryn Weddle

Jordyn Wolfe

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