Cards Walk Off No. 13 Stanford in Series Finale

Sunday, March 1

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

14-4, 2-1

Stanford University

11-6, 1-2

Stanford

Louisville

Photo by: Mason Seidt | Louisville Athletics

March 01, 2026 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Louisville clinched its first ranked series win since 2019.

By: Erin Hughes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team walked off No. 13-ranked Stanford 9-8 for the first ranked-opponent series win for the Cards since 2019.

Louisville (14-4, 2-1 ACC) scored all its runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Alyssa Zabala (4-0) took the win in the circle after closing out the game with 1.1 innings of work, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out one. Easton Lotus, Bri Despines and Jordan Williams combined for six RBIs to lead the team, while Chelsea Mack, Camryn Lookadoo, Taylor Monroe and Williams all posted two hits apiece.

Stanford (11-6, 1-2 ACC) scored first, tacking on three runs in the top of the third, and after two more quiet innings, Taryn Kern led off the fifth with a solo home run to lead 4-0.

Katie Thatcher was hit by a pitch to begin the home-half of the inning, and Jordan Williams followed it up with a single. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position before a triple from Bri Despines sent Thatcher and Williams home. Camryn Lookadoo snuck a single up the middle to plate Despines and get Louisville within one at 4-3.

Heads-up baserunning from Stanford and costly errors by UofL allowed the Cardinal to add three more runs in the top of the sixth and extend its lead back to four.

Addy O'Dell drew a one-out walk, followed by a single from Thatcher to put two runners on for the Cards. A fielder's choice by Williams moved O'Dell to third and erased Thatcher before Lotus singled in O'Dell. A second straight single from Mack scored Williams as Louisville got back within two.

Stanford added an eighth run in the top of the seventh, but Louisville responded in the bottom of the inning.

Three straight hits from Lookadoo, Monroe and Pickens brought in Lookadoo and Monroe to put UofL within one at 8-7. Pickens moved to third on a wild pitch, and Janda and Thatcher drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs. Williams singled to first to bring home Pickens, and Lotus reached on a fielder's choice to drive in the winning run in Janda.

Louisville will be back in action against in-state foe Northern Kentucky on Tuesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. in Ulmer Stadium.

Cards Come Up Short Against No. 13 Stanford in Game Two of Series

Saturday, February 28

Taylor Monroe and Camryn Lookadoo celebrate after scoring during the game against Stanford at Ulmer Stadium on February 27th, 2026.

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Friday, February 27

Alyssa Zabala and Taylor Monroe Celebrating

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Thursday, February 26

Cards Finish 5-0 at Gulf Coast Classic

Sunday, February 22

Next Event

Northern Kentucky University

Mar 3 (Tue)

6:00 PM

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Zabala, Alyssa (4-0)

L: Krause, Elena (4-2)

Stanford

Batting:

2B: Kern, Taryn 1 ; Mahler, River 1 ; Cacatian, Izzy 1

HR: Kern, Taryn 1

RBI: Kern, Taryn 1 ; Boulaphinh, Sydney 1 ; Chan, Kyra 1 ; Sheppard, Addyson 2 ; Cacatian, Izzy 1

SH: Mahler, River 1

SF: Boulaphinh, Sydney 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Jones, Emily 1 ; Kern, Taryn 2 ; Chan, Kyra 1 ; Sheppard, Addyson 1 ; King, Jordana 1 ; Jin, Sophia 1 ; Callahan, Adriana 1

CS: Mahler, River 1

HBP: Boulaphinh, Sydney 1

Louisville

Batting:

2B: Pickens, Madison 1 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 1

3B: Despines, Bri 1

RBI: Williams, Jordan 1 ; Mack, Chelsea 1 ; Lotus, Easton 2 ; Monroe, Taylor 1 ; Despines, Bri 2 ; Pickens, Madison 1 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Williams, Jordan 2 ; Janda, Riley 1 ; Monroe, Taylor 1 ; Thatcher, Katie 1 ; Despines, Bri 1 ; Pickens, Madison 1 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 1 ; O'Dell, Addy 1