Cards Win ACC Opening Series, Walking off Notre Dame in 14 Innings

Sunday, March 9

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:00 PM

University of Louisville

16-7, 0

Notre Dame

11-12, 0

Notre Dame

Louisville

Cards Win ACC Opening Series, Walking off Notre Dame in 14 Innings

March 09, 2025 | Softball

Box Score

Louisville moves to 16-7 with a 2-1 ACC record

By: Anthony Acquisto

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team gutted out a 4-3 win in Sunday's 14-inning rubber match against Notre Dame at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards improve to 16-7 (2-1 ACC) on the season.

After a scoreless first inning, Brooke Gray found herself in a bit of trouble to begin the second. An error and bunt single put runners on first and second with nobody out, but Gray forced a popout, strikeout and flyout to escape the jam without any damage.

Taylor Monroe drove home the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the second, scoring Bri Despines from third base and putting the Cards up 1-0.

Notre Dame tied the ballgame in the top of the fourth inning with a solo shot by cleanup hitter Rachel Allen, her third homer of the season.

Despines smacked a double to the left field wall to lead off the bottom of the fourth, advancing to third on a flyout by Madison Pickens. For the second time in the game, Monroe brought Despines to the plate, this time executing a perfect squeeze bunt to put the Cards back in front 2-1.

It was deja vu all over again in the top of the fifth, as the Fighting Irish hit a second solo homer to tie the ballgame, this one soaring out to right center field off the bat of Kaia Cortes against new Cardinal pitcher Alyssa Zabala. Notre Dame put more pressure on Louisville, getting two in scoring position with two outs, but Zabala forced a popout to the catcher to end the threat.

The Irish loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, forcing the Cards to bring in their third pitcher of the game in Sam Booe. A putout at the plate and a popup back to Booe erased yet another Notre Dame rally and kept the game tied at two going into the bottom of the sixth.

Booe worked a clean top of the seventh to give Louisville a chance to walk it off, but the Cards could not bring home Ally Alexander after her two-out triple, sending the game to extra innings.

The Irish rallied with two outs in the top of the eighth, getting a runner on third with a blooper to right and driving home the go-ahead run with a single just out of Maddi Grant's reach at first base.

Louisville responded in the bottom of the inning, as Chelsea Mack reached on a bunt single. Char Lorenz brought her around to score with an RBI double but was back-picked at second for the first out of the inning. Despines singled and stole second base to put the winning run in scoring position with two outs, but Notre Dame neutralized the threat and sent the game to a ninth inning.

The 3-3 stalemate drifted into the 14th inning, with Lindsey Mullen posting zeroes in the circle for the Cards. With one out and a runner on second in the bottom of the 14th, Camryn Lookadoo singled through the left side, her first hit of the season, to bring home the winning run.

The Cards will remain at home to take on Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, March 12, with first pitch at 5 p.m., before hosting Virginia Tech in a three-game set next weekend.