Louisville Series Opener at Pitt Moved to Saturday

GAME INFORMATION
Louisville vs. No. 19/16 Virginia Tech
Dates: April 3-5, 2021
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa..
Venue: Vartabedian Stadium
Series Schedule
Saturday, 2 p.m. Live Scoring | ACCNX
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Live Scoring | ACCNX
Sunday, 2 p.m. Live Scoring | ACCNX
Monday, 12 p.m. Live Scoring | ACCNX
Twitter Updates: @UofLSoftball
Game Notes: Louisville
Admission: Player pass list only

The University of Louisville's softball series at Pittsburgh has been altered due to cold weather projected in the area. The teams will now open the series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting a 2 p.m. at Pitt's Vartabedian Field.

The Cardinals and the Panthers will also play a single game at 2 p.m. on Sunday with the series finale taking place on Monday at 12 p.m. All games will be shown on the ACC Network Extra.

CARDINAL NOTES
• After wrapping up a 15-game home stand, the University of Louisville softball team will hit the road for a four-game ACC series at Pittsburgh this weekend. Due to anticipated cold weather in the area, the series has will now start on Saturday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader. The teams will meet again on Sunday with a single game at 2 p.m. with the series finale taking place on Monday at 12 p.m.
• UofL is 4-9 in ACC play and stands ninth in the conference while Pitt (9-18, 4-13 ACC) is tenth in the ACC standings.
• Taylor Roby leads the team with a .379 batting average, five home runs and has driven in 21. She stands tied for second in the ACC in RBI.
• Roby (6-7) leads the team with a 2.45 ERA in 74.1 innings of work.
• Roby has also produced a team-best six multi-RBI games.
   ^ She was named ACC Player of the Week on February 23.
• Roby recently snapped a 14 game streak of reaching safely via a hit or a walk.
• Carmyn Greenwood leads the team with 12 runs and six stolen bases, has a team-best nine multi-hit games this season and stands second with a .375 batting average.
• Jennifer Leonhardt, a graduate transfer from the University of Southern Indiana leads the Cardinals' pitching rotation with 36 strikeouts in 35.1 innings.
• Leonhardt is tied for the ACC lead and third in the nation with three saves.
• Leonhardt has been named a top 30 candidate for the Senior CLASS Award.
• Celene Funke currently ranks 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.
• Freshman Vanessa Miller delivered her first career hit - a pinch hit solo home run in the 6-1 loss to Clemson (3/20).
• 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 55-46 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
Cards against the field
Pittsburgh
Series Record: UofL leads 19-4
Last Meeting: The teams last met in a two-game series played May 4-5 in 2018 at Vartabedian Field. The Cardinals fell to the Panthers in both games by scores of 9-8 and 10-2.
NOTE: Current UofL head coach Holly Aprile was in her final season at Pitt when the teams last met.
Scouting the Panthers: Pittsburgh brings an overall record of (9-18, 4-13 ACC) heading into this weekend of play at Vartabedian Field. The Panthers went 0-4 this past weekend during their four-game series against ACC foe Syracuse (1-7, 4-7, 0-8, 3-9).
• The Panthers are led by Cami Compson with a .328 batting average along with nine runs, 22 hits and five home runs. Sarah Seasmans has tallied six home runs and 18 RBIs on the season.
• In the circle, Brittany Knight has logged a team-high 61.0 innings and has issued 44 strikeouts.
• Abby Edwards (4-4) carries a 3.61 ERA, with one shutout and 31 strikeouts in 54.1 innings.

RECAPPING THE VIRGINIA TECH SERIES
Then-No. 19/16 Virginia Tech won three games of an ACC series with the Cardinals taking the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader last weekend at Ulmer Stadium.
Virginia Tech 3 - Louisville 0
Virginia Tech plated three runs in the fifth inning to take the opening game of the series.
Virginia Tech 2 - Louisville 0
In the first game of Saturday's twin bill, the teams played through five scoreless innings before Virginia Tech broke through with two unearned runs in the sixth inning.
• The Cardinals loaded the bases in the second, but could not push a run across.
Louisville 3 - Virginia Tech 2
• Virginia Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third.
• The Cardinals countered in the fourth inning when Hurst smashed solo home run over the fence in left centerfield.
• Louisville struck again in the bottom of the sixth. Taylor Roby single to set up Hurst, who crushed a shot over the left field fence for her second homer of the game, giving the Cards the 3-2 win.
• The 3-2 win marks the first against a top-20 opponent since February 29, 2019 when the Cardinals took down No. 10/10 Oregon 4-3 in the OSU/Tulsa Invitational.
Virginia Tech 8 - Louisville 0
Cassady Greenwood registered Louisville's only hit in the game and season-high five errors hampered the Cardinals in the loss, but Louisville could not overcome the Hokies' offense, which produced 11 hits including two home runs and two doubles.

UP NEXT
Following this weekend's series at Pitt, the Cardinals will have a quick turnaround, returning to Ulmer Stadium for a non-conference matchup with in-state rival No. 8/7 Kentucky on Wednesday April 7. Prior to the game, Louisville will honor 2020 senior Caitlin Ferguson, who graduated in May 2020.
• Louisville will then leave on Thursday for a four-game ACC road series at Georgia Tech.

SCHEDULE UPDATES
Louisville's ACC series at Boston College (April 30-May 2) has been altered as part of ACC Network coverage. The teams will now square off in a single game at 5 p.m. on Friday followed by a 12 p.m./5 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. The series finale will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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. 5/5 Florida, No. 8/7 Kentucky, No. 10/10 Florida State, No. 13/14 Duke, No. 19/16 Virginia Tech and No. 18/19 Clemson
• Four of Louisville's 14 losses have come against teams ranked in the top 10 (Alabama and Florida) and 11 have come against teams in the top 25.
• 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
All three of Louisville's starting pitchers can also help their cause at the plate.
Taylor Roby leads the team with five home runs and 21 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 74.1 innings and issued 31 strikeouts.
Jennifer Leonhardt leads the team 36 Ks and stands second in the ACC with three saves. 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 (3-3) has logged 41.2 innings, standing second behind Roby in innings pitched. The freshman has issued 17 strikeouts on the season and has driven in a pair of runs.

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 second. 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.

CARDS ON TV
All of Louisville's home contests will be televised on the ACC Network or ACC Network Extra.
• Additionally, the Cardinals' April 21 road game at Kentucky will be aired on ESPNU.

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)

CARDS EXCEL IN THE CLASSROOM
The Cardinals turned in impressive academic results in the fall semester earning a team GPA of 3.351. It marks the program's 31st straight semester with a collective GPA of 3.0 or higher - a streak dating back to the fall of 2005.
• The Cardinals also achieved some outstanding individual accomplishments as 19 out of 25 student-athletes will be named to the Athletic Director's honor roll after posting a mark of 3.0 or better. Eleven players made the Dean's List with a GPA of 3.5 or better.
•Senior Celene Funke and freshman Gabby Holloway earned Dean's Scholar status after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA - Funke did so while pursuing her MBA.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Caitlin Ferguson

Celene Funke

Carmyn Greenwood

Cassady Greenwood

Gabby Holloway

Jennifer Leonhardt

Vanessa Miller

Taylor Roby

Paige Schindler

Riley Schindler

University of Louisville Athletics