Cards Come Back in 8th Inning to Secure Win Over Evansville

Tuesday, March 10

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

19-5

University of Evansville

7-13

Evansville

Louisville

Cards Come Back in 8th Inning to Secure Win Over Evansville

March 10, 2026 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Erin Hughes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team came back to defeat Evansville 5-4 in eight innings on Tuesday night at Ulmer Stadium.

Louisville (19-5, 2-1 ACC) was led on offense by Ava Venturelli, who went 1-1 as a pinch hitter with a two-RBI double that gave UofL the lead in the sixth. Alyssa Zabala tossed 4.0 innings, allowing just three walks and matching a season-high eight strikeouts. Brooke Gray (4-1) took the win in the circle after giving up just one hit over 1.1 innings of work.

Evansville falls to 7-13 on the season, with Sophia Otten (1-2) taking the loss in the circle. UE's Brooke Voss and Maliyah Wilkins both launched homers in the game, marking each of their fourth home runs on the year.

Evansville struck early with a two-run top of the first to start off the game. Zabala responded with two innings of scoreless play before Chelsea Mack scored on a sacrifice fly from Jordan Williams to give Louisville its first run of the day in the bottom of the third.

Zabala continued dominating in the circle, totaling eight strikeouts before being replaced by Anna Wise in the top of the fifth. The Purple Aces threatened to score again in the fifth, but a big throw from Madison Pickens in left field connected with Bri Despines to get a runner out at the plate.

Wise tossed a 1-2-3 top of the sixth to get the Cards back to the plate. Williams drew a walk to lead off the home frame and was followed by a one-out double by Riley Janda to get both players in scoring position. Venturelli entered as a pinch hitter for Addy O'Dell and knocked a double into right-center field to score Williams and Janda and give UofL the lead.

O'Dell replaced Venturelli at second, and Easton Lotus laced a single up the middle that allowed O'Dell to get to third and Lotus to make it to second. Mack snuck a double down the third base line to plate O'Dell and double Louisville's lead at 4-2.

UE tied the game with its second home run of the day in the top of the seventh. Pickens singled through the middle to lead off the home-half of the inning as a sacrifice bunt and a groundout moved her over to third. Pickens was stranded as the game headed to extra innings, but Brooke Gray kept the Evansville bats in the top of the eighth.

Lotus grabbed a single to start off the bottom of the inning, and Mack moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Despines laced the first pitch she saw into right field to score Lotus and complete the comeback win.

UofL heads back out on the road for a three-game series against Clemson from March 13-15. Louisville will face the Tigers at 4 p.m., 1 p.m. and noon inside McWhorter Stadium.