Louisville Set to Host Cardinal Classic

WEEKEND INFORMATION
Date: March 14-17, 2024
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: 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.
Twitter Updates: @LouisvilleSB

2024 CARDINAL CLASSIC SCHEDULE | Tournament Central
Thursday, March 14
7 p.m., South Dakota vs. Louisville - ACCN Watch
Friday, March 15
12 p.m., South Dakota vs. Dartmouth
3 p.m., Illinois vs. South Dakota
6 p.m., Illinois vs. Louisville - ACCNX Watch
Saturday, March 16
10:30 a.m., Dartmouth vs. South Dakota
1 p.m., Dartmouth vs. Illinois
3:30 p.m., South Dakota vs. Michigan
6 p.m., Michigan vs. Louisville - ACCNX Watch
Sunday, March 17
10 a.m., Dartmouth vs. Michigan
12:30 p.m., Michigan vs. Illinois
5 p.m., Illinois vs. Louisville - ACCN Watch

The University of Louisville softball team will conclude its eight-game home stand this weekend when the Cardinals play host to Dartmouth, Illinois, Michigan and South Dakota for the Cardinal Classic March 14-17 at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville will open the tournament on Thursday when they take on South Dakota in an ACC Network-televised game. The Cards will continue action on Friday against Illinois followed by a Saturday matchup with Michigan. On Sunday, the Cardinals will wrap up the weekend with a rematch against the Fighting Illini.

QUICK HITS
• The Cards bring a 16-8 overall record into the tournament following their ACC-opening series against then-No. 20/15 Virginia Tech.
• Louisville is hitting .287 as a team with five players carrying an average of .300 or better.
• The Cards have outscored opponents 126-77 with 15 home runs on the season.
• UofL has produced six shutouts this season, ranking second in the ACC and 13 in the national standings.
• Louisville was picked to finish sixth in the 2024 ACC preseason coaches' poll.
• 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.

PLAYER NOTES
• Alyssa Zabala (10-3) carries a 2.18 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. Her 10 victories lead the ACC and stand tied for fifth in the NCAA. The sophomore has earned the last six wins for Louisville.
• Chelsea Mack leads the team with a .362 batting average.
• Riley Frizell has produced a team-best 24 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with five homers.
• Kiley Goff has been hit by a pitch 14 times in Louisville's 24 games this season and stands second in the nation in the hit by pitch per game category (0.62).
• Paige Geraghty leads the team with seven multi-hit games
• Vanessa Miller leads the team with a career-best 11 stolen bases and five multi-RBI games. The right fielder is tied for the team lead with five homers, and stands second with 19 RBIs.

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 145 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.

CARDS AGAINST THE FIELD
South Dakota
Series Record: First meeting
Scouting the Coyotes: South Dakota enters the tournament with a 13-13 record prior to a Wednesday matchup at Tennessee State. The Coyotes are coming off of a doubleheader split at Middle Tennessee, taking the first game 8-0 and falling 4-2 in game two.
• Gabby Moser leads the way for the Coyotes in batting average (.325), OPS (.947), hits (26),
home runs (5), total bases (47), and slugging percentage (.588).
• Tatum Villotta leads the team in runs with 12 and is second on the team in hits (23).
• Clara Edwards (4-6) has shouldered the bulk of the pitching duties with a 2.08 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 70.2 innings of work.

Illinois
Series Record: Illinois leads 7-4
Last Meeting: February 18, 2023 - The Cardinals last matched up against Illinois on day two of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, dropping the game 2-1 at Georgia Tech's Mewborn Field.
Scouting the Fighting Illini: Illinois enters the tournament with an 8-9 record prior to a Wednesday doubleheader at No. 11/11 Missouri.
• Abby Ryniec leads all Illinois hitters with a .373 batting average and 19 hits.
• Paige Berkmeyer paces the team with a .950 OPS and tied for the lead with 12 RBI.
• Tori McQueen leads the way for the team with five wins and a 2.06 ERA.

Michigan
Series Record: Michigan leads 21-5
Last Meeting: February 17, 2024 - Louisville defeated Michigan 2-0 earlier this season when the teams matched up in the Joan Joyce Classic at FAU Softball Stadium.
Scouting the Wolverines: Michigan comes into the weekend at 13-10, winning two out of three games at the NKU Spring Classic.
• Maddie Erickson leads all Wolverine hitters in batting average (.348), OPS (.926), hits (24), and home runs (3).
• Ellie Sieler leads the team with 15 runs scored and is second in hits with 20.
• Lauren Derkowski leads the charge for the Michigan arms with a team-high 62 strikeouts
through 58.1 innings.

UP NEXT
The Cardinals will hit the road for a midweek matchup at Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday before returning to Ulmer Stadium to host No. 6/4 Duke for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series.

LAST UP
The Cards opened ACC play last weekend and with then-No. 20/15 Virginia Tech sweeping three-game series.
• Rain and thunderstorms postponed the opening game, forcing Saturday doubleheader. After the Hokies took the first game 11-1 in five innings, the Cardinals battled in the nightcap, scoring a run in the sixth and another in the bottom of the seventh to move to extra innings before Virginia Tech prevailed 5-2 in 10.
• In the series finale, the Hokies built a 4-0 lead, but Louisville again staged a late-inning rally with a run in the sixth and two more in the bottom of seventh with the tying run on third base, but Virginia Tech held on for the 4-3 win.
• Prior to their series against Virginia Tech, the Cards upset No. 21/24 Arizona 5-3 Wednesday evening at Ulmer Stadium. In that game, Alyssa Zabala tossed a complete game improve to 10-1 on the season, scattering six hits and striking out five.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Riley Frizell

Paige Geraghty

Kiley Goff

Chelsea Mack

Vanessa Miller

Alyssa Zabala

University of Louisville Athletics