
Cards Secure 30th Win of the Season with a 12-4 Victory over EKU
March 31, 2026 | Softball
RICHMOND, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team (30-7, 6-3 ACC) clinched its 30th win of the season with a 12-4 run-rule victory over Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday night at Gertrude Hood Field.
Madison Pickens posted her first-career multi-home run game, knocking two different three-run shots to left field which led to a career-high six RBIs for the sophomore. Chelsea Mack backed up the offense with three hits on four trips to the plate and one run scored. Bri Despines tabbed two doubles in her two at-bats, scoring four times and bringing in one runner. Alyssa Zabala (8-2) picked up the win in the circle after tossing 3.2 no-hit innings with six strikeouts and just one walk.
Louisville came out hot after Mack, Easton Lotus and Despines loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Camryn Lookadoo used a sacrifice fly to bring in Mack before a wild pitch moved Lotus and Despines into scoring position. Another wild pitch allowed Lotus to score and Despines to move to third, and Taylor Monroe singled in Despines for the early 3-0 Cards lead.
The Colonels had an answer in the bottom of the second when Riley Oleksik cleared the bases with a double to even the score at 3-all.
Another RBI single from Monroe put UofL back in front after Despines scored the fourth run of the day for Louisville in the top of the third. Zabala followed that up by sitting down three consecutive EKU batters to send the Cards back to the plate.
Riley Janda drew a one-out walk and stole second, and Mack grounded out to move Janda to third. Lotus singled in Janda, and Despines added on with a double that had Lotus scoring from first. Lookadoo walked to join Despines on the bases and then Pickens launched her first three-run shot of the day just inside the left field foul pole.
Zabala again pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth innings as UofL headed to the sixth looking to close out the win.
Despines and Lookadoo reached base on a walk and a double, respectively, which brought Pickens back to the plate for her second three-run homer of the day that gave UofL a 12-3 lead.
Eastern Kentucky plated one run in the home half of the sixth, but Anna Wise stranded two runners to finish out the 12-4 Louisville victory.
The Cards continue their road swing with a three-game series at Cal from Thursday, April 2 to Saturday, April 4. First pitches are set for 5 p.m., 5 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET and each game will be streamed on ACCNX.
Madison Pickens posted her first-career multi-home run game, knocking two different three-run shots to left field which led to a career-high six RBIs for the sophomore. Chelsea Mack backed up the offense with three hits on four trips to the plate and one run scored. Bri Despines tabbed two doubles in her two at-bats, scoring four times and bringing in one runner. Alyssa Zabala (8-2) picked up the win in the circle after tossing 3.2 no-hit innings with six strikeouts and just one walk.
Louisville came out hot after Mack, Easton Lotus and Despines loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Camryn Lookadoo used a sacrifice fly to bring in Mack before a wild pitch moved Lotus and Despines into scoring position. Another wild pitch allowed Lotus to score and Despines to move to third, and Taylor Monroe singled in Despines for the early 3-0 Cards lead.
The Colonels had an answer in the bottom of the second when Riley Oleksik cleared the bases with a double to even the score at 3-all.
Another RBI single from Monroe put UofL back in front after Despines scored the fourth run of the day for Louisville in the top of the third. Zabala followed that up by sitting down three consecutive EKU batters to send the Cards back to the plate.
Riley Janda drew a one-out walk and stole second, and Mack grounded out to move Janda to third. Lotus singled in Janda, and Despines added on with a double that had Lotus scoring from first. Lookadoo walked to join Despines on the bases and then Pickens launched her first three-run shot of the day just inside the left field foul pole.
Zabala again pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth innings as UofL headed to the sixth looking to close out the win.
Despines and Lookadoo reached base on a walk and a double, respectively, which brought Pickens back to the plate for her second three-run homer of the day that gave UofL a 12-3 lead.
Eastern Kentucky plated one run in the home half of the sixth, but Anna Wise stranded two runners to finish out the 12-4 Louisville victory.
The Cards continue their road swing with a three-game series at Cal from Thursday, April 2 to Saturday, April 4. First pitches are set for 5 p.m., 5 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET and each game will be streamed on ACCNX.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zabala, Alyssa (8-2)
L: Byrum, Victoria (6-9)

Batting:
2B: Despines, Bri 2 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 1
HR: Pickens, Madison 2
RBI: Lotus, Easton 1 ; Monroe, Taylor 2 ; Despines, Bri 1 ; Pickens, Madison 6 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 1
SF: Lookadoo, Camryn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Janda, Riley 1 ; Mack, Chelsea 1 ; Lotus, Easton 2 ; Despines, Bri 4 ; Pickens, Madison 2 ; Lookadoo, Camryn 2
SB: Janda, Riley 1
CS: O'Dell, Addy 1

Batting:
2B: Oleksik, Riley 1
RBI: Oleksik, Riley 3 ; Billips, Skyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Duncan, Sharyn 1 ; Wallis, Kaitlyn 1 ; McLeod, Jada 1 ; Smith, Jordan 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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