Cards Walk Off No. 18 Florida State in Series Opener

Friday, April 5

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

23-14, 0

Florida State

26-10, 0

Florida State

Louisville

April 05, 2024 | Softball

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Richardson’s walk-off single lifts Cards to 5-4 win over No. 18 Florida State to snap the Seminoles' eight-game win streak

By: Jason Krell and Lori Harmon

The University of Louisville softball team opened up the weekend by taking down No. 18 Florida State, 5-4 Friday evening at Ulmer Stadium.

With two outs and two runners on and score knotted at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Bailee Richardson worked the count full before registering an RBI single to score Daisy Hess and give the Cards the 5-4 win.

Alyssa Zabala picked up her league-best 16^th win, allowing four runs, two earned and scattering five hits while striking out five in her sixth complete game of the season. The night was also highlighted by senior Gabby Holloway's two-run homer, Riley Frizell's RBI triple and Vanessa Miller's RBI single as the Cardinals (23-14, 4-6 ACC) snapped the Seminoles' eight-game win streak.

The Seminoles (26-10, 7-3 ACC) jumped to an early 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI double from Kalei Harding that brought home Kaley Mudge. The Noles didn't miss a beat in the second inning as Mudge notched an RBI double to put Florida State on top 2-0.

After a quiet start, senior Miller broke up Makenna Reid's no-hitter with a leadoff single in the fourth inning and Holloway blasted her fifth home run of the season to tie the game at 2-2

Louisville's offense continued in the bottom of the fifth when Paige Geraghty delivered a leadoff hit and Frizell put up her second triple of the season to bring her home. Miller delivered an RBI single for her second hit of the to bring home Frizell to put the Cards ahead 4-2.

The Noles used a hit and an error in the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4. Florida State threatened to score in the top of the seventh inning, Mudge bunted and reached second courtesy of a fielding error, but Richardson, Kiley Goff and Jac Hasty combined for double play at home and second to get out of the jam.

Hess got the home half of the inning started with a single to left field. After Frizell walked on five pitches, Mia Forsythe came in to pinch run at first. Both runners moved on Miller's groundout to bring up Richardson who sent a single to centerfield for her first walk-off hit of the season

Ashtyn Danley (7-3) took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits and striking out two in 1.2 innings of relief. Mudge and Jahni Kerr each had a pair of hits to lead the Seminoles at the plate.

The teams will continue the series on Saturday with the first pitched scheduled for 1 p.m.