Cardinals Defeat Villanova, Florida A&M to Open T-Mobile Tournament

Friday, February 18

Gainesville, FL

10:30 AM

University of Louisville

5-1

Villanova University

2-4

Louisville

Villanova

Cardinals Defeat Villanova, Florida A&M to Open T-Mobile Tournament

February 18, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Lori Harmon

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Louisville defeated Villanova 10-7 in nine innings and followed with 10-0 win against Florida A&M on day one of Florida's T-Mobile Tournament Friday at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium.

On the day, graduate senior Carmyn Greenwood went 5-for-9 with three home runs – including a grand slam - and a double while driving in eight runs and scoring four. Senior Chardonnay Harris earned both wins in the circle, and did not allow a run while striking out nine in 5.2 innings of work. The senior combined with freshman Sam Booe on a one-hit shutout against Florida A&M.

The Cardinals (6-1) will return to action on Saturday when they take on a pair of top-15 opponents starting with No. 4/4 Florida at 2 p.m. and No. 14/14 Duke in a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m.

Louisville 10 - Villanova 7 (9 inn.)
Carmyn Greenwood blasted a two-run homer and Kendall Smith connected on a solo shot in the top of the ninth to lift the University of Louisville to a 10-7 win against Villanova in the first game of Florida's T-Mobile Tournament Friday morning.

Greenwood and redshirt senior Taylor Roby had two home runs apiece and graduate senior Kendall Smith added another as the Cardinals totaled five homers in their first game of the day. Greenwood went 3-for-5 with three runs and Roby went 2-for-4 with three RBI and scored twice to lead the Cardinals at the plate. Senior Chardonnay Harris (2-1) picked up the win after holding the Wildcats scoreless on one hit and striking out four in 1.2 innings of relief.

Villanova (2-4) scored a run in the sixth and two more in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 6-6, sending the game into extra innings.

The eighth inning began with the international tiebreaker rule in effect and Hannah File was placed as a runner at second base. A sacrifice bunt by Korbe Otis sent File to third and she crossed the plate on freshman Maddi Grant's sacrifice fly.

The Wildcats countered in the home half of the seventh after an RBI double by Paige Rauch which tied the game at 7-7. A wild pitch sent Rauch to third with one out in the game, but Harris dealt a pair of strikeouts to get out of the jam.

With Ally Alexander placed at second base, Greenwood led off the ninth with a home run that bounced off of the scoreboard in left center field. One out later, Smith connected on a solo shot to put the Cardinals on top 10-7.

Villanova threatened again in the bottom of the ninth with runners at second and third, but Harris delivered a strikeout to secure the win for Louisville.

The Cardinals jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first behind Carmyn Greenwood's two-run homer. Freshman Easton Lotus led off the game with a single and Greenwood followed with a shot over the left field fence for her second home run of the season.

Taylor Roby's solo home run in the third extended Louisville's lead to 3-0. With two outs in the inning, the redshirt senior smashed a shot over the scoreboard in left field.

The Cardinals tacked on another run in the fourth when freshman Korbe Otis doubled and moved to third on a hit by freshman Maddi Grant to put runners on the corners for junior Jenna Servi's RBI groundout.

The Wildcats used three hits and a walk to gets on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Tess Cites' one-out RBI single made the score 4-1 and loaded the bases. One out later, Sydney Hayes was hit by a pitch to add another Villanova run, cutting the Cardinals lead in half.

The Cardinals got the runs back in the fifth courtesy of Roby's second homer of the game. This time, Carmyn Greenwood got the inning's offense started with a bunt single and proceeded to steal second. Roby stepped up to the plated and drove the ball over the right field fence for her team-best fifth homer of the season to put Louisville on top 6-2.

The bottom of the fifth brought another Villanova run when Angela Giampolo singled and eventually scored on Ryan Henry's fielder's choice.

Cites led off the bottom of sixth with a home run and the Wildcats plated a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 6-6 and push the contest into extra innings.

Villanova was led offensively by Giampolo who went 2-for-4 with two runs. Caroline Pellicano (0-1) took the loss for Villanova.

Louisville 10 - Florida A&M 0 (5 inn.)
The Cardinals' hot offense continued in a 10-5 five-inning win against Florida A&M. Louisville matched a season high with 12 hits while freshman Easton Lotus paced the team with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, adding a run, an RBI and a stolen base.

UofL took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when freshman Ally Alexander doubled and moved to third on a hit by Lotus. An error on the play sent Alexander home.

The Cards put up a three-spot in the fourth when Grant walked and was lifted for pinch runner Sydney Bickel who took second on junior Jenna Servi's base hit. After a wild pitch moved the runners, Alexander's infield hit plated Bickel. Lotus singled Alexander home and Servi also scored on the play to push Louisville's lead to 4-0.

The fifth inning brought six more Louisville runs, highlighted by Carmyn Greenwood's grand slam. Smith started the offense with a double and senior Hannah File followed with an RBI triple. After double steal attempt sent File home, Grant followed with a single and was safe at second on Servi's fielder's choice. A walk to Lotus loaded the bases for Greenwood who connected on her first collegiate grand slam with a shot over the left field fence, making the score 10-0.

Greenwood finished the game with two hits, both home runs, and a career-high four RBIs. Ally Alexander went 2-for-3 with her first collegiate double and scored a pair of runs.

Harris (2-1) earned the win after giving up only one hit, a bunt single by Nyah Morgan to lead off the fourth. She also delivered five strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Freshman Sam Booe combined on the shutout, holding the Rattlers scoreless in the fifth inning.

Cris'deona Beasley took the loss for FAMU (1-4) after giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits and striking out four.

NOTES
• At 6-1 on the season, the Cardinals are off to their best start since 2018.
• Roby's home runs against Villanova extended her career total to 30. She moves to eighth on Louisville's all-time list and needs one more to tie for seventh with Kristi Cunningham (2006-09).
• Freshman Easton Lotus has reached via a hit or walk in each of Louisville's seven games and is currently on a five-game hitting streak.
• Carmyn Greenwood now has a career-high four home runs on the season. Her two homers against FAMU mark her first career multi-homer game. Her four RBI against FAMU also tie her career game high.
• Louisville now leads Villanova 15-2 in the all-time series between the teams.
• Louisville improves to 4-0 in the series against Florida A&M