Louisville Falls to Illinois 6-0 on Day Two of Cardinal Classic

Friday, March 15

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

17-9

Illinois

10-11

Illinois

Louisville

Louisville Falls to Illinois 6-0 on Day Two of Cardinal Classic

March 15, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

Cards shut out for the first time this season

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –The University of Louisville softball team fell 6-0 to Illinois on day two the Cardinal Classic Friday evening at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville (17-9) will continue tournament play on Saturday at 6 p.m. when they take on Michigan.

Chelsea Mack and Paige Geraghty each went 2-for-3 to lead the way offensively, but the Cards were shut out for the first time since April 6, 2023 when they fell 1-0 to Notre Dame. . Brooke Gray (3-3) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on four hits.

The Fighting Illini (10-11) used six hits including a two-run double by Paige Berkmeyer to jump to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Illinois manufactured another run in the second, capitalizing on a pair of walks, a hit and a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-0. The seventh inning brought another run courtesy of a bases-loaded RBI groundout by Delaney Mosley for the 6-0 final.

Louisville had a scoring opportunity in the first inning when Mack singled and Hess earned a walk to put two on with no outs, but Illinois starting Tori McQueen dealt three straight strikeouts to end the threat. The Cards moved another runner into scoring position in the sixth when Mack delivered her second single of the game and took second on Hess' sacrifice bunt, but they were again unable to capitalize.

McQueen (6-4) got the complete game shutout, scattering four hits and striking out 12. Kelly Ryono paced the Fighting Illini with a 4-for-5 showing at the plate with a double and a triple.