Louisville Falls on Day One of Cardinal Classic

Friday, March 4

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

HOFSTRA

March 04, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team fell 2-1 to Hofstra and 8-0 to Illinois on the opening day of the Cardinal Classic Friday at Ulmer Stadium.

The Cardinals (8-8) will return to action on Saturday when they take on Western Michigan at 3 p.m. and the Illini at 5:30 p.m.

Hofstra 2 – Louisville 1
Sophomore Vanessa Miller tripled and scored a run and graduate senior Carmyn Greenwood delivered a triple, but the Cardinals were unable to take advantage of late-inning scoring opportunities in a 2-1 loss to Hofstra in the opening game of the Cardinal Classic.

The teams played through two scoreless innings before Louisville broke through with a run in the third. With one out in the inning, Miller connected on her first career triple and scored on an error to put Louisville on top.

The Pride (1-9) countered with two runs in the fourth behind Madison McKevitt's RBI double and a hit by Angelina Ioppolo.

The Cardinals held Hofstra in check through the next three innings, allowing only one runner to move into scoring position.

Louisville had a chance to push another run across in the fifth when Carmyn Greenwood delivered her second triple of the season with two outs, but a flyout ended the threat. The Cardinals also had a runner in scoring position in the fourth and sixth inning, but could not capitalize.

Sophomore Gabby Holloway (2-2) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on five hits and striking out four in 4.1 innings of work.

Julia Apsel (1-3) got the complete game win, giving up one unearned run on five hits and striking out five. Ioppolo led the Pride with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

Illinois 8 – Louisville 0
In Friday's nightcap, the Cardinals got hits from Carmyn Greenwood, and freshmen Ally Alexander and Dylann Cravens, but defensive miscues and a persistent Illinois offense proved to be too much to overcome.

Illinois (7-4) used four hits and two errors to put up a four-spot in the second. The Illini tallied five more hits to extend the lead to 8-0 in the fourth inning.

The Cardinals' best chance to score came in the fifth when Alexander and Cravens delivered back-to-back one-out singles, but a fielder's choice and a groundout ended the game.

Sydney Sickels (4-2) got the win, holding Louisville to one hit and striking out three in 4.0 innings. Megan Ward went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and two RBIs to lead Illinois offensively.

Chardonnay Harris (4-3) took the loss after giving up seven runs, three earned, on eight hits in 3.0 innings.