USF Edges Louisville 4-3

Saturday, March 2

Tampa, Fla.

4:00 PM

University of Louisville

14-5

USF

14-6

Louisville

USF Softball

Kiley Goff runs to third base in the 4-3 loss at USF

Photo by: Chad Harmon

March 02, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

A late-inning rally falls short in 4-3 loss at USF

By: Lori Harmon

TAMPA, Fla. - A late-inning rally fell short as the University of Louisville softball team fell 4-3 to host South Florida Saturday evening at the USF Softball Stadium.

The Cardinals (14-5) will wrap up the weekend on Sunday when they take on Central Michigan at 9:30 a.m.

In the nightcap, the Cardinals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. After reaching on an error, Daisy Hess stole second and came around to score on another USF miscue on Paige Geraghty's sacrifice bunt.

The Bulls (14-6) responded with four runs in the home half of the first, using five hits and a walk to take a 4-1 lead.

Louisville began to chip away at the deficit with a run in the second. Kiley Goff earned a one-out walk to set the table for Ally Alexander who smashed an RBI double to right center field, cutting the lead in half. The third inning brought another Louisville run. This time, Thatcher got the offense going with a one-out walk, took second on a passed ball and crossed the plate on an error to pull the Cards within one run.

The Cards had a chance to push at least on more run across in the top of the seventh when Geraghty and Riley Frizell started the inning with back-to-back singles and Katie Thatcher's sacrifice bunt. Vanessa Miller was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, but a pair of fly outs ended the game with the final score 4-3.

Geraghty went 2-for-3 to lead the Cardinals at the plate and Ally Alexander finished the game 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Sam Booe (1-2) took the loss, giving up four earned runs on five hits in 02 innings. Brooke Gray held the Bulls in check, surrendering one hit and striking out two while retiring the last seven batters she faced.

Lexie Kopko (1-0) picked up the win, holding Louisville scoreless on three hits in 3.1 innings of relief.