Cardinals Bow Out of ACC Softball Championship

Thursday, May 13

LOUISVILLE, KY

7:30 PM

University of Louisville

21-28-1

DUKE

40-10

Louisville

Duke

May 13, 2021 | Softball

Box Score Coach Holly Aprile Postgame Press Conference

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 4-3 to No. 21/21 Duke in the quarterfinals of the 2021 ACC Softball Championship Thursday evening at Ulmer Stadium.

Celene Funke went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI to lead the Cardinals (21-28-1) as they rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game at 3-3 in the second. Taylor Roby issued three strikeouts and scattered four hits in six innings of work.

"I thought that game could have gone either way, it just didn't go in our favor," said UofL head coach Holly Aprile. "I thought we had really good at bats and that [Taylor] Roby did a good job on the mound. They had that one big hit, but the way we answered back right away to score three runs immediately after, that's something that we talk all year about is to be able to battle with a team offensively. I thought we showed a lot of heart right there in that inning. I was really proud of the way we battled and the way we fought."

Third-seeded Duke (40-10) struck early with a three-run homer from Kristina Foreman in the bottom of the first.

Louisville wasted little time responding as the Cardinals used four hits to put up a three-spot in the top of the second. Charley Butler got the inning started with a walk and Makayla Hurst followed with a single. Cassady Greenwood's infield hit loaded the bases for Funke whose single to centerfield plated Butler. Cassady Greenwood scored on Carmyn Greenwood's single. Maddy Newman's sacrifice fly sent Funke home to even the contest at 3-3.

After Foreman's home run in the first, Roby and the Cardinals retired the next eight Duke batters until the fourth inning. Foreman drew a one-out walk and sprinted around to score on Rachel Crabtree's RBI double, putting Duke back on top 4-3.

Louisville would put runners on throughout the remainder of the game, including in the seventh inning when Funke delivered a leadoff single and moved to second on Jenna Servi's sacrifice bunt to put the tying run in scoring position with one out, but a foul out and a groundout ended the game.

Peyton St. George (17-6) picked up the win in the circle, holding the Cardinals scoreless while surrendering two hits and fanning three in 5.2 innings of relief.