Cards Fall to No. 21/21 Duke in Saturday Doubleheader

Saturday, April 17

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:00 P.M.

University of Louisville

16-18, 10-13

DUKE

28-10, 16-10

Duke

Louisville

April 17, 2021 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

By: Nicole Venema and Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team fell to No. 21 Duke 9-1 and 5-4 in an ACC doubleheader Saturday at Ulmer Stadium.

The teams will wrap up the series on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium.

In game one of the twinbill, Duke registered nine hits and capitalize on five Cardinal miscues en route to a 9-1 win. In the nightcap, Louisville rallied from a 5-0 deficit to pull within a run, but fell short in the 5-1 loss.

Duke 9 - Louisville 1
Louisville (16-19, 10-13 ACC) and Duke (29-10, 17-10 ACC) battled through the first two innings with no runs.

Louisville had an opportunity to score when Makayla Hurst reached on an error, but the Cards remained scoreless.

Duke broke through with five runs in the third inning using hits from Kelly Torres, Jameson Kavel, Gisele Tapia and Caroline Jacobsen and a double by Kamryn Jackson's to put the Blue Devils on top 5-0.

Louisville answered with a run in the home half of the inning. Maddy Newman fired up the Cards when she delivered a double down the left field line in the bottom of the third. Carmyn Greenwood laced a single up the middle to send Newman home, making the score 5-1.

The Blue Devils added two more runs during the fourth and fifth innings, extending their lead 9-1.

Jennifer Leonhardt (3-6) took the loss for Louisville, giving up five earned runs on five hits in 2.2 innings. Newman went 1-for-2 with a run and Carmyn Greenwood also tallied a hit for the Cardinals.

Shelby Walters (12-3) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Torres went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs to lead the Blue Devils at the plate.

Duke 5 - Louisville 4
In game two, Duke built a 5-0 lead entering the bottom of the fourth, but the Cardinals answered with three runs in the fourth. Louisville went on to add a run in the seventh and had runners on first and second, but would get no closer in the 5-4 loss.

Duke kept its momentum from the first game, delivering three runs in the first inning. Jameson Kavel doubled and Caroline Jacobsen reached on a fielder's choice to put two on for Kamryn Jackson's RBI single. Kristina Foreman followed with a two-run double, bringing the score to 3-0.

The Blue Devils added two more runs in the fourth when Foreman doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch. off of a wild pitch. Torres reached on a fielder's choice and crossed the plate on an error, to increase Duke's lead to 5-0.

The Cards bounced back during the home half of the fourth inning when Makayla Hurst reached on a fielding error and Maddy Newman's RBI single put the Cards on the board. Gabby Holloway stepped up to the plate and blasted her first career homerun to cut the lead to 5-3.

The rally continued in the bottom of the seventh when Sydney Bickel led off with her first career triple. Carmyn Greenwood followed with an RBI single, pulling the Cards within a run.

One out later, Taylor Roby sent a ball to deep centerfield, but Duke's Kyla Morris was able to chase it down on the warning track for the second out of the inning. Makayla Hurst drew a walk to put the tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run on board, but the score remained 5-4.

Brianna Butler (4-1) earned the win, tossing 3.2 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts. Peyton St. George picked up the save with one strikeout in 0.2 innings of relief. Foreman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.

Taylor Roby (9-9) took the loss for the Cardinals, allowing five earned runs with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Carmyn Greenwood, Roby, Charley Butler, Newman and Holloway each had a hit in the game.