Cards Fall Short Against Villanova

Friday, March 1

Tampa, Fla.

10:30 AM

University of Louisville

13-3

Villanova

5-9

Villanova

Louisville

Photo by: Chad Harmon

March 01, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

Cards fall 6-4 to Villanova in the opening game of the USF Tournament

By: Lori Harmon

TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Louisville softball team opened the USF Tournament with a 6-4 loss to Villanova Friday morning at USF Softball Stadium.

Daisy Hess led Louisville with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate, a run and an RBI. Brooke Gray (3-1) took the loss, giving up three earned runs on four hits. The Cardinals (13-3) will return to action Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. when they face host USF.

Villanova (5-9) jumped to an early lead behind Ally Jones' two-run homer in the top of the first inning.

The Cardinals answered in the home half of the first inning when Riley Frizell sent a 1-2 count to the light pole behind the fence in left center field for her team-best fifth homer of the season to make the score 2-1.

The Wildcats put runners on in the third and fourth, but Louisville's defense came up big with a double play in each frame to keep Villanova at bay.

Louisville struck again with a run in the fourth inning. Vanessa Miller earned a leadoff walk and swiped second. Bailee Richardson singled and moved to second on the throw to put runners in scoring position for Ava Venturelli who connected on an RBI single to even the score at 2-2.

The Wildcats countered with three runs in the in the fifth starting with solo home run by Tess Cites. A trio of hits loaded the bases and, one out later, Madison Ostrowski's two-run single put Villanova on top 5-2.

The Cards got a run back in the home half of the fifth when Hess connected on her second hit of the game with a leadoff single and Kiley Goff followed with a walk to set up Paige Geraghty's two-out RBI hit.

Louisville continued to chip away at the lead with another run in the bottom of the sixth when Venturelli led off with a walk was lifted for pinch runner Katie Thatcher. After an error allowed Chelsea Mack to reach and advanced both runners, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hess sent Thatcher home to pull the Cards within a run.

Villanova extended its lead to 6-4 with another run in the seventh. Ava Franz doubled and took third on an Ally Jones single to set the table for Chloe Smith's sacrifice fly.

The Cards threatened in the home half of the seventh, Vanessa Miller delivered a leadoff hit and moved into scoring position on Geraghty's sacrifice bunt. A Villanova miscue placed runners on the corners with two outs, but a ground out ended the game.

Alyssa Seidler (2-1) picked up the win after surrendering two earned runs on four hits and delivering four strikeouts in four innings of work. Jones finished the game going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.