Cards Set to Host Georgia Tech in ACC Weekend Series

Friday, March 27

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

Georgia Tech

Bri Despines and Ava Venturelli celebrate during the game against Kentucky at John Cropp Stadium on March 25.

Photo by: Nicole Finch | Louisville Athletics

March 26, 2026 | Softball

Louisville Game Notes

By: Kennedy Knisley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team (26-7, 3-3 ACC) hosts its third conference series of the season, welcoming Georgia Tech (19-16, ACC) to Ulmer Stadium from March 27-29. The games will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday, and 12 p.m. on Sunday on ACCNX.

Louisville is coming off an 8-7 victory in nine innings at Kentucky, a comeback that began after being down 6-3 to start the seventh inning. Chelsea Mack and Easton Lotus led off the top of the seventh with back-to-back singles before Bri Despines used a triple to bring Louisville back within one at 6-5. Camryn Lookadoo followed with a single that brought in Despines to tie the game at 6-all.

Brooke Gray worked out of the eighth inning to bring the heart of the order back up for the Cards. Despines took a leadoff walk, and Lookadoo doubled to center field to get both runners in scoring position. Madison Pickens singled down the right field line to plate both runners and give Louisville the lead back at 8-6. UK added one more run on a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, but Gray forced the last batter to fly out to left field to secure the comeback win.

QUICK HITS

Chelsea Mack leads the team with a .473 batting average, tallying 53 hits in 112 at-bats, 37 runs scored, 27 stolen bases, and 16 RBIs. Her 27 stolen bases rank first in the NCAA.
Madison Pickens is second on the team with a .426 average, collecting 43 hits, 33 runs, eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 36 RBIs.
Bri Despines is third on the team with a .418 average, posting 38 hits, 32 runs, nine doubles, four home runs, and 35 RBIs, with a .692 slugging percentage.
Louisville leads the ACC in stolen bases (84) and triples (18), and is third in the conference in on-base percentage (.451). The Cards rank fourth in the ACC and 14th nationally with a .357 batting average on the season.
Through 33 games, five Cardinals have at least 20 RBIs and seven have recorded at least 25 hits.
Freshman Jayden Gohs leads the Louisville pitching staff with a 2.71 ERA and four wins in 31 innings pitched, giving up just 12 earned runs and striking out 19 so far.
Senior Alyssa Zabala leads the team with 59 strikeouts and six wins in 66.1 innings. She has made a team-high 22 appearances in 11 starts, limiting opponents to a .254 batting average.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS

Series Record: Louisville leads 13-7
Last Meeting: April 12-14, 2024 – Georgia Tech took two out of three games in Atlanta.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets: Georgia Tech is 19-17 so far this season with a 5-7 record in ACC play. The Yellow Jackets come into the weekend following two midweek wins, including a no-hit 9-0 win over West Georgia and a 3-0 win against Georgia State.
In the circle, senior Kenley Hilleary and sophomore Madalyn Johnson lead the way. Hilleary is 2-1 on the year, boasting a 2.81 ERA over 47.1 innings. Hilleary also has 38 strikeouts and has held batters to a .276 average this season. Johnson has a 9-8 record that includes six complete games, notching a 3.70 ERA through 100.1 innings of work. In addition to her six complete games, Johnson has four shutouts, holds opponents to a .224 average and has 85 strikeouts on the year.
Sophomore Alyssa Willer and junior Holly Medina lead GT's offensive front. Willer owns a team-high .381 batting average on the year with 15 extra base hits, seven home runs, 34 RBIs and 26 walks. Lang is batting .354 with eight extra base hits, one of those being a homer, 13 RBIs, and nine walks.
Aileen Morales is in her ninth year with the squad after spending two years as the head coach at Radford. While at the helm, Georgia Tech has a 233-199 record. Last season, the Yellow Jackets finished the season 27-24, losing to Mercer in an elimination game at the Gainesville Regional.