Tuesday, February 27
LOUISVILLE, Ky.
5:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
Western Kentucky
Louisville Plays Host to Western Kentucky in Home Opener Tuesday
February 26, 2024 | Softball
Cards and Hilltoppers set for a 5 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday
Game Information
Date: February 27, 2024
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue:Â Â Don Dobina Field at Ulmer Stadium
Admission: Free
Gates Open: One (1) hour prior to first pitch
Clear Bag Policy: A Clear Bag Policy remains in place at all UofL athletics facilities. Fans may bring one clear bag, either a one-gallon clear Ziploc-style storage bag, or a 12 x 6 x 12 inches clear tote bag.
Parking: Fans are encouraged to park in the Floyd Street Parking Garage for a $5 fee.
Social Media Updates: @LouisvilleSB
Coverage: Live Scoring | ACCNX Watch Link | Game Notes
The University of Louisville softball team will play host to Western Kentucky in the Cardinals' home opener on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. The game will air on ACC Network Extra with Suzanne Bush handling play-by-play duties and Dr. Joanna Lane providing analysis.
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QUICK HITS
• At 12-2 on the season, the Cardinals are off to their best start since 2013 when the team also had a 12-2 record through its first 14 games.
• Louisville is hitting .313 as a team with five players carrying an average of .300 or better.
• The Cards have outscored opponents 89-32 with 10 home runs on the season.
• Louisville is 18-6 in home openers in the history of the program.
• The Cardinals return 11 letterwinners from last year's squad led by all-ACC selections Daisy Hess, Easton Lotus and Alyssa Zabala. Louisville also welcomes 11 newcomers including six freshmen and five transfers to the 2024 roster.
• UofL was picked to finish sixth in the 2024 ACC preseason coaches' poll.
• In 2023, the Cardinals posted a 36-20 overall record and a 16-7 ACC mark in the 2023 season - the 16 ACC wins were also tied for the most in since the Cardinals joined the league in 2015. UofL also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament (Knoxville Regional), marking the 15th NCAA appearance in program history.
• The 2024 campaign marks the 25th season in program history. The program started in 2000 and boasts 15 NCAA tournament appearances and five conference championships.
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PLAYER NOTES
•Sophomore Alyssa Zabala (6-1) carries a 1.62 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 34Y.2 innings.
• Five players are hitting at a .300 clip or better with Riley Frizell's .356 average leading the way. She has also produced a team-best four home runs and 18 RBIs this season.
• Frizell has reached safely via a hit or walk in the last 12 games and in 13 of Louisville's 14 games.
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THE APRILE ERA
• Holly Aprile is in her sixth season as UofL's head coach. During her time at Louisville, which includes the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, the Cardinals have amassed 141 wins and earned a pair of NCAA regional appearances with the 2023 Knoxville Regional and the 2019 NCAA Evanston Regional finals. She was named the Leadership Playbook 2022-23 Collegiate Coach of the Year.
• Prior to her arrival at Louisville, Aprile, the 2018 ACC Coach of the Year spent 10 seasons (2009-18) as Pittsburgh's head coach and five years (2004-08) as an assistant. In 2018, she earned ACC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Panthers to the 2018 ACC Coastal Division title and a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament.
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CARDS AGAINST THE FIELD
Western Kentucky
Series Record: Louisville leads 20-3
Last Meeting: April 19, 2023 - Louisville won 3-2 in Bowling Green.
Scouting the Hilltoppers:Â WKU brings a 10-4-1 overall record into Tuesday's matchup. The HIlltoppers were riding a seven-game win streak before falling 10-7 to Saint Louis Sunday in the final game of the WKU Hilltopper Classic.
• Morgan Sharpe leads the team with a .551 batting average and 27 hits while Taylor Sanders has belted out a team-high six home runs and has 20 RBIs this season.
• Rylan Smith carries a team-best 1.83 ERA and 4-1 record in the circle with 35 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work.
• WKU was picked to finish second in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• TJ Webster, Taylor Sanders, and Katie Gardner were named to the Preseason All-CUSA Squad.
CARDINAL CONNECTION: There will be a familiar face in the visiting dugout at Ulmer Stadium Tuesday evening as former UofL softball standout Carmyn Greenwood is in her first season as an assistant coach for the Hilltoppers.
• The 2022 NFCA All-American played for the Cards from 2020-22 and was a two-time all-ACC and NFCA All-Southeast Region selection, finishing her career at Louisville with a school-record .408 career batting average in three years after transferring from Auburn prior to the 2020 season.
LAST UP
UofL went 2-1 in the weather-impacted Battle at the Beach last weekend. After dropping Saturday's tournament opener in a 13-8 loss to Furman, the Cards bounced back with a 6-2 win over host Coastal Carolina in the nightcap.
• Louisville wrapped up the weekend with a comeback win over Bowling Green State. After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Cards rallied to tie the game in the second. The sixth inning saw the Cardinals erupt for eight runs, capped by freshman Ava Venturelli's walk-off grand slam for the 11-3 final.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will hit the road for the fourth straight weekend when they head to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Tournament to face Villanova, Georgia Southern, Central Michigan and host USF.
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Date: February 27, 2024
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue:Â Â Don Dobina Field at Ulmer Stadium
Admission: Free
Gates Open: One (1) hour prior to first pitch
Clear Bag Policy: A Clear Bag Policy remains in place at all UofL athletics facilities. Fans may bring one clear bag, either a one-gallon clear Ziploc-style storage bag, or a 12 x 6 x 12 inches clear tote bag.
Parking: Fans are encouraged to park in the Floyd Street Parking Garage for a $5 fee.
Social Media Updates: @LouisvilleSB
Coverage: Live Scoring | ACCNX Watch Link | Game Notes
The University of Louisville softball team will play host to Western Kentucky in the Cardinals' home opener on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. The game will air on ACC Network Extra with Suzanne Bush handling play-by-play duties and Dr. Joanna Lane providing analysis.
Â
QUICK HITS
• At 12-2 on the season, the Cardinals are off to their best start since 2013 when the team also had a 12-2 record through its first 14 games.
• Louisville is hitting .313 as a team with five players carrying an average of .300 or better.
• The Cards have outscored opponents 89-32 with 10 home runs on the season.
• Louisville is 18-6 in home openers in the history of the program.
• The Cardinals return 11 letterwinners from last year's squad led by all-ACC selections Daisy Hess, Easton Lotus and Alyssa Zabala. Louisville also welcomes 11 newcomers including six freshmen and five transfers to the 2024 roster.
• UofL was picked to finish sixth in the 2024 ACC preseason coaches' poll.
• In 2023, the Cardinals posted a 36-20 overall record and a 16-7 ACC mark in the 2023 season - the 16 ACC wins were also tied for the most in since the Cardinals joined the league in 2015. UofL also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament (Knoxville Regional), marking the 15th NCAA appearance in program history.
• The 2024 campaign marks the 25th season in program history. The program started in 2000 and boasts 15 NCAA tournament appearances and five conference championships.
Â
PLAYER NOTES
•Sophomore Alyssa Zabala (6-1) carries a 1.62 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 34Y.2 innings.
• Five players are hitting at a .300 clip or better with Riley Frizell's .356 average leading the way. She has also produced a team-best four home runs and 18 RBIs this season.
• Frizell has reached safely via a hit or walk in the last 12 games and in 13 of Louisville's 14 games.
Â
THE APRILE ERA
• Holly Aprile is in her sixth season as UofL's head coach. During her time at Louisville, which includes the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, the Cardinals have amassed 141 wins and earned a pair of NCAA regional appearances with the 2023 Knoxville Regional and the 2019 NCAA Evanston Regional finals. She was named the Leadership Playbook 2022-23 Collegiate Coach of the Year.
• Prior to her arrival at Louisville, Aprile, the 2018 ACC Coach of the Year spent 10 seasons (2009-18) as Pittsburgh's head coach and five years (2004-08) as an assistant. In 2018, she earned ACC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Panthers to the 2018 ACC Coastal Division title and a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament.
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CARDS AGAINST THE FIELD
Western Kentucky
Series Record: Louisville leads 20-3
Last Meeting: April 19, 2023 - Louisville won 3-2 in Bowling Green.
Scouting the Hilltoppers:Â WKU brings a 10-4-1 overall record into Tuesday's matchup. The HIlltoppers were riding a seven-game win streak before falling 10-7 to Saint Louis Sunday in the final game of the WKU Hilltopper Classic.
• Morgan Sharpe leads the team with a .551 batting average and 27 hits while Taylor Sanders has belted out a team-high six home runs and has 20 RBIs this season.
• Rylan Smith carries a team-best 1.83 ERA and 4-1 record in the circle with 35 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work.
• WKU was picked to finish second in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• TJ Webster, Taylor Sanders, and Katie Gardner were named to the Preseason All-CUSA Squad.
CARDINAL CONNECTION: There will be a familiar face in the visiting dugout at Ulmer Stadium Tuesday evening as former UofL softball standout Carmyn Greenwood is in her first season as an assistant coach for the Hilltoppers.
• The 2022 NFCA All-American played for the Cards from 2020-22 and was a two-time all-ACC and NFCA All-Southeast Region selection, finishing her career at Louisville with a school-record .408 career batting average in three years after transferring from Auburn prior to the 2020 season.
LAST UP
UofL went 2-1 in the weather-impacted Battle at the Beach last weekend. After dropping Saturday's tournament opener in a 13-8 loss to Furman, the Cards bounced back with a 6-2 win over host Coastal Carolina in the nightcap.
• Louisville wrapped up the weekend with a comeback win over Bowling Green State. After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Cards rallied to tie the game in the second. The sixth inning saw the Cardinals erupt for eight runs, capped by freshman Ava Venturelli's walk-off grand slam for the 11-3 final.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will hit the road for the fourth straight weekend when they head to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Tournament to face Villanova, Georgia Southern, Central Michigan and host USF.
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Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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