Saturday, March 23
LOUISVILLE, KY
1:00 PM
University of Louisville
20-11, 0
2
vs
1
Duke
25-3, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Duke
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
Louisville
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2
6
0
Thatcher’s Walk-Off Home Run in the Eighth Lifts Cards to 2-1 Win Over No. 6/4 Duke
March 23, 2024 | Softball
Freshman Katie Thatcher’s pinch-hit solo home run in the eighth inning broke a 1-1 tie to give the Cards their first ACC win of the season
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Katie Thatcher's solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the University of Louisville softball team to a 2-1 win over No. 6/4 Duke Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium.
A day after Duke plated three runs in the seventh inning to take the series opener, the Cardinals used some late-inning offense of their own to even the series. Louisville (20-11, 1-4 ACC) and Duke (25-3, 6-2 ACC) will meet in the rubber game Sunday at 12 p.m.
The teams played through three scoreless innings before the Blue Devils broke through with a run in the fourth. Claire Davidson drew a walk, stole second and crossed the plate on Aminah Vega's RBI hit.
The Cards answered in the home half of the frame. With two outs in the inning, Gabby Holloway stepped up to the plate and crushed a shot straight over the centerfield fence for her third homer of the season.
For the next three innings, neither team was able to move a runner into scoring position and the contest remained knotted at 1-1, moving the game into the eighth inning.
Duke threatened in the top of the eighth when Davidson and Aminah Vega earned back-to-back walks to start the frame, but Louisville reliever Alyssa Zabala and the Cardinals' defense retired the next three batters to keep the Blue Devils at bay.
With one out in the home half of the inning, Thatcher entered the game as a pinch-hitter. The freshman took a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for her second career home run to secure the Cardinals' first ACC win of the season.
Zabala picked up her ACC-leading 13th win of the season. The sophomore did not allow a hit or a run in 1.1 innings of relief. Daisy Hess went 2-for-3 with a double to lead Louisville at the plate.
Lillie Walker (5-1) took the loss, surrendering one earned run on one hit in the eighth inning. D'Auna Jennings had a pair of hits to lead Duke offensively.
NOTES:
A day after Duke plated three runs in the seventh inning to take the series opener, the Cardinals used some late-inning offense of their own to even the series. Louisville (20-11, 1-4 ACC) and Duke (25-3, 6-2 ACC) will meet in the rubber game Sunday at 12 p.m.
The teams played through three scoreless innings before the Blue Devils broke through with a run in the fourth. Claire Davidson drew a walk, stole second and crossed the plate on Aminah Vega's RBI hit.
The Cards answered in the home half of the frame. With two outs in the inning, Gabby Holloway stepped up to the plate and crushed a shot straight over the centerfield fence for her third homer of the season.
For the next three innings, neither team was able to move a runner into scoring position and the contest remained knotted at 1-1, moving the game into the eighth inning.
Duke threatened in the top of the eighth when Davidson and Aminah Vega earned back-to-back walks to start the frame, but Louisville reliever Alyssa Zabala and the Cardinals' defense retired the next three batters to keep the Blue Devils at bay.
With one out in the home half of the inning, Thatcher entered the game as a pinch-hitter. The freshman took a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for her second career home run to secure the Cardinals' first ACC win of the season.
Zabala picked up her ACC-leading 13th win of the season. The sophomore did not allow a hit or a run in 1.1 innings of relief. Daisy Hess went 2-for-3 with a double to lead Louisville at the plate.
Lillie Walker (5-1) took the loss, surrendering one earned run on one hit in the eighth inning. D'Auna Jennings had a pair of hits to lead Duke offensively.
NOTES:
- Saturday's win marks Louisville's second over a top-25 team this season at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville also beat then-No. 21/24 Arizona 5-3 on March 6.
- The last time the Cardinals beat a top-10 team was Feb. 28, 2022 when they beat No. 10/8 Arkansas in Fayetteville.
- Louisville is now 2-1 in extra-inning games this year.
- Daisy Hess extended her hitting streak to four games and has reached safely via a walk or hit in the last 10 games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zabala, Alyssa (13-5)
L: Lillie Walker (5-1)
Batting:
2B: Claire Davidson 1 ; Aminah Vega 1
RBI: Aminah Vega 1
SH: Gisele Tapia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Claire Davidson 1
SB: Claire Davidson 1
Batting:
2B: Hess, Daisy 1
HR: Thatcher, Katie 1 ; Holloway, Gabby 1
RBI: Thatcher, Katie 1 ; Holloway, Gabby 1
SH: Mack, Chelsea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thatcher, Katie 1 ; Holloway, Gabby 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
dp/p
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballRHP
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballHighlights: Louisville SB vs. No. 18 Florida State (Gm. 1)
Thursday, July 11
Highlights: Louisville SB at Boston College
Sunday, May 05
SB: Daisy Hess and Sam Booe Postgame vs. #22/21 Clemson
Saturday, April 27
Highlights: Louisville SB vs. No. 22/21 Clemson (Gm. 2)
Saturday, April 27
