Alexander's Walk-Off Hit Lifts Cards to 9-8 Win Over Illinois; Louisville Tops Western Michigan 8-0

Saturday, March 5

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

9-8

WESTERN MICHIGAN

4-8

Western Michigan

Louisville

Alexander's Walk-Off Hit Lifts Cards to 9-8 Win Over Illinois; Louisville Tops Western Michigan 8-0

March 05, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Cards finish Saturday with wins against Illinois and Western Michigan

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Freshman Ally Alexander's two-out walk-off RBI single lifted the University of Louisville softball team to a 9-8 win over Illinois Saturday evening at Ulmer Stadium. The win marked the second straight for the Cardinals who also defeated Hofstra 8-0 on Saturday.

On the day, Taylor Roby went 6-for-11 with three doubles and four RBIs and freshman Korbe Otis registered five hits with a triple and a home run to drive in five runs. Roby also picked up both wins in the circle while striking out seven in 10.2 innings.

The Cardinals (10-8) will wrap up the tournament on Sunday when the take on Hofstra at 11:30 a.m.

Louisville 9 – Illinois 8
In a game which featured three lead changes and two ties, Alexander's seventh-inning hit capped a rally for the Cardinals who trailed 8-7 entering the home half of the inning. Junior Jenna Servi got the offense going with a leadoff double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Easton Lotus. One out later, Roby was intentionally walked and Kendall Smith followed with a walk to load the bases for freshman Korbe Otis who drilled a hit to left field to score Servi and tie the game at 8-8. With the bases loaded, Alexander stepped up to the plate and delivered a hit that bounced off of the left field fence, sending Roby home for the game-winning run and the 9-8 final.

Roby paced Louisville with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate with a double, two RBIs and two runs – she was also walked twice. In addition, redshirt senior RHP got the win in the circle after allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out two in 3.0 innings of relief. Alexander went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Servi scored three runs and went 2-for-3 at the plate.

The Fighting Illini (8-5) jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second after four hits, including a three-run homer by Kelly Ryono combined with a Louisville miscue.

The Cardinals capitalized on three hits, two walks and an Illinois error to even the score in the home half of the inning. Alexander singled, Miller reached on an error and freshman Maddi Grant walked to load the bases for Servi's two-run single. After a walk issued to Lotus, Roby's two-run single brought the score to 4-4.

Louisville pulled ahead with two runs in the fourth when Servi scored on Carmyn Greenwood's RBI hit and Kendall Smith singled Greenwood home to put the Cards on top 6-4.

Illinois countered with a four-spot in the fifth inning to regain the lead, moving the score to 8-6.

The Cards began their rally in the sixth inning starting with a walk to Roby. Singles by Smith and Otis loaded the bases for Alexander's sacrifice fly which pulled the Cardinals within a run, setting the stage for the seventh inning walkoff victory.

Tori McQueen (1-1) took the loss after giving up two earned runs on one hit and striking out two in 1.2 innings of relief. Megan Ward went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI to lead Illinois at the plate.

Louisville 8 – Western Michigan 0 (6 inn.)
Carmyn Greenwood went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run and scored four runs, tying a school record for runs in a game to lead the Cardinals in an 8-0 win against Western Michigan. Otis drove in a career-high four RBI and went 2-for-3 with a triple and a home run while freshman Maddi Grant went 3-for-3 to help lead the Cardinals at the plate.

Louisville used four hits including home runs by Greenwood and Otis, to take a 4-0 lead in the first.

The offense continued in the second when Roby added an RBI double in the second to increase the lead to 5-0.

Roby's RBI double and Otis' RBI triple extended the Cardinals' lead to 7-0 in the fourth and Greenwood capped the scoring in the sixth when she led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on Smith's base hit and scored on a wild pitch for the 8-0 final.

Roby (3-3) earned the win after scattering three hits and striking out three in 4.0 innings while sophomore Gabby Holloway allowed one hit and fanned two in 2.0 innings of relief to combine for the shutout.

Reily Galloway (3-4) took the loss after surrendering five earned runs on six hits and striking out to in 3.0 innings. The Broncos drop to 4-8 on the season.

NOTES:
• Louisville's 13 hits against Illinois marked a season high. The Cardinals left 13 runners on against the Fighting Illini – also a season high.

• The Cardinals turned two double plays against Western Michigan, tying a team high for the season. Louisville also recorded a double play against Illinois giving them 12 on the season which leads the ACC.

• Carmyn Greenwood tied her career high and a Louisville single game record with four runs against Western Michigan. She also scored four runs on Feb. 10, 2022 against FAU.
• Greenwood extends her current hitting streak to four games and has reached safely via a hit or walk in the last five games.

• Easton Lotus's two sacrifice bunts against Illinois mark a season high for the team and a career high for her.