Cards Fall to No. 16/17 Virginia Tech

Friday, March 14

LOUISVILLE, KY

4:00 PM

University of Louisville

17-8, 0

Virginia Tech

21-5, 0

Virginia Tech

Louisville

Team huddle before the game against Notre Dame at Ulmer Stadium on March 7, 2025.

Photo by: Rachel Klotz | Louisville Athletics

March 14, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Louisville will face the Hokies in the series finale on Sunday at noon

By: Nathan Larson

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team was swept by the Virginia Tech Hokies (22-5) in a doubleheader Friday night at Ulmer Stadium. The two losses drop Louisville to 17-9 on the year and 2-3 in ACC play. Due to inclement weather on Saturday, Louisville and Virginia Tech were forced to play out Saturday's game on Friday.

UofL was held in check for both games due to Virginia Tech's pitching staff, holding the Cards to just two runs and six hits on the day.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the first inning was a quick one, with six batters going up and six batters going down. Virginia Tech broke open the scoring in the top of the second. Putting five runs on the board, with a triple from catcher Kylie Aldridge bringing in three runs and a two-run shot from right fielder Cori McMillan totaled the score to 5-0, Hokies.

A second home run from the Hokies in the top of the third, courtesy of first baseman Michelle Chatfield brought in two runs, making the score 7-0.
Two more runs were scored in the fourth for Virginia Tech, a sac fly from Rachel Castine brought in a run and an RBI single from Bre Peck made it 9-0. Finally, a second home run from Aldridge to left centerfield in the fifth inning left the final score 10-0 after five innings, forcing a run-rule.

Pitcher Sophie Kleiman of the Hokies picked up the win with 71 pitches and two strikeouts, bringing her to a still perfect 6-0 record on the year, while Alyssa Zabala of UofL was given the loss, but added a respectable four strikeouts on 44 pitches, leaving her at 7-3 for the season.

In the second game, Virginia Tech opened the first inning with a leadoff home run by McMillan, a single by Chatfield then another home run by Castine, which made the score 3-0. Louisville brought in Brooke Gray to pitch following the sequence. The Cards fought back in the bottom of the inning, eating into the Hokies lead with Char Lorenz sending a ball deep into left field which brought home Easton Lotus and made the score 3-2.

No runs were scored in the second and third, leaving the score 3-2. However, the Hokies stranded a runner on in the top of the third. The fourth saw much of the same, this time with Louisville leaving a runner stranded after Bri Despines was walked and moved to second after a sacrifice bunt via Taylor Monroe.

Two runners each were stranded by the Hokies and the Cardinals in the fifth inning, with Jordan Williams and Lotus picking up hits. In the sixth inning, Gray struck out her fifth of the game, ending with six for the game, while the Cards were held scoreless.

In the final frame, Virginia Tech added to their lead with a two-run homer from Chatfield, her second of the day. With the score now 5-2, Louisville came into the bottom of the seventh trying to make a comeback. UofL was stymied by the second three-up-three-down inning of the day from Emma Lemley, leaving the Cards winless in the doubleheader.

Sam Booe was given the loss for the Cards, moving her record to 4-3 on the season. For the Hokies, Lemley earned the victory with 106 pitches and five strikeouts, adding to her 11-3 record.

Up next for the Cards is a series finale against the Hokies on Sunday, March 16th at noon at Ulmer Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the ACCNX.