Louisville Opens Cardinal Classic with 8-5 Win Over South Dakota

Thursday, March 14

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

7:00 PM

University of Louisville

South Dakota

Louisville Opens Cardinal Classic with 8-5 Win Over South Dakota

March 14, 2024 | Softball

Box Score Daisy Hess postgame interview

Late-inning offense lifts Louisville to an 8-5 win over South Dakota on day one of the Cardinal Classic

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team defeated South Dakota 8-5 in the opening game of the Cardinal Classic Thursday evening at Ulmer Stadium. The Cardinals (17-8) will continue tournament play on Friday at 6 p.m. against Illinois.

In a game that featured four lead changes and a tie, the Cardinals scored two runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth en route to the 8-5 victory. Daisy Hess went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and scored two runs while Chelsea Mack and Bailee Richardson also tallied a pair of hits apiece to lead Louisville at the plate. Sam Booe (2-2) picked up the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out four in 4.0 innings of relief.

The Cardinals broke through early when Chelsea Mack beat the throw for an infield single to lead off the bottom of the first. Daisy Hess followed with a triple and proceeded to score on an RBI groundout by Riley Frizell to put Louisville on top 2-0.

The Coyotes (14-14) quickly answered behind Abi Brown's three-run homer in the top of the third.

Louisville countered with a run in the third inning. Ally Alexander earned a two-out walk and Gabby Holloway stepped up to the plate and knocked a double off the top of the fence in right center field to even the score at 3-3.

South Dakota got the run back and regained the lead in the fifth when Alecea Mendoza reached on a fielder's choice and eventually crossed the plate on a double off the bat of Gabby Moser.

The fifth inning the Cards take the lead for good when Bailee Richardson's two-run double plated Mia Forsythe and Vanessa Miller to put Louisville on top 5-4. The offense continued in the sixth as the Cardinals used five hits, including RBI singles by Hess, Frizell and Miller to extend their lead to 8-4.

The Yotes added a final run in the seventh when Mendoza doubled and scored on a hit by Moser to make the score 8-5.

McKenna Young (3-3) took the loss, surrendering five runs, four earned, on seven hits and striking out two in 3.1 innings of relief. Moser went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to help lead South Dakota offensively.