Photo by: Mason Seidt | Louisville Athletics
Louisville Hosts Four Teams in Cardinal Classic
March 05, 2026 | Softball
The tournament schedule was recently altered due to expected weather.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team is set to host the annual Cardinal Classic this weekend, March 6-8, at Ulmer Stadium. The participating teams include Ball State, Bellarmine, Illinois, and Long Island.
Due to expected weather, the tournament schedule has been altered. Louisville will face both Ball State and Illinois twice this weekend and no longer play against LIU. All Louisville games will be broadcast on ACCNX.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, March 6
11:00 a.m. ET Bellarmine vs. Ball State
1:30 p.m. ET Ball State vs. Louisville
4:00 p.m. ET LIU vs. Bellarmine
6:30 p.m. ET LIU vs. Illinois
Saturday, March 7
9:00 a.m. ET Ball State vs. Louisville
3:00 p.m. ET Illinois vs. Louisville
5:30 p.m. ET Illinois vs. LIU
Sunday, March 8
9:00 a.m. ET Bellarmine vs. LIU
11:30 a.m. ET LIU vs. Ball State
2:00 p.m. ET Ball State vs. Illinois
4:30 p.m. ET Illinois vs. Louisville
LOUISVILLE QUICK HITS
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Ball State Cardinals
Illinois Fighting Illini
Due to expected weather, the tournament schedule has been altered. Louisville will face both Ball State and Illinois twice this weekend and no longer play against LIU. All Louisville games will be broadcast on ACCNX.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, March 6
11:00 a.m. ET Bellarmine vs. Ball State
1:30 p.m. ET Ball State vs. Louisville
4:00 p.m. ET LIU vs. Bellarmine
6:30 p.m. ET LIU vs. Illinois
Saturday, March 7
9:00 a.m. ET Ball State vs. Louisville
3:00 p.m. ET Illinois vs. Louisville
5:30 p.m. ET Illinois vs. LIU
Sunday, March 8
9:00 a.m. ET Bellarmine vs. LIU
11:30 a.m. ET LIU vs. Ball State
2:00 p.m. ET Ball State vs. Illinois
4:30 p.m. ET Illinois vs. Louisville
LOUISVILLE QUICK HITS
- Bri Despines leads the team with a .471 average, posting 24 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 2 home runs, and 23 RBIs, with a .725 slugging percentage.
- Chelsea Mack is second on the team with a .468 batting average, tallying 29 hits in 62 at-bats, 18 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, and 7 RBIs.
- Madison Pickens is third on the team with a .421 average, collecting 24 hits, 19 runs, 6 doubles, 3 triples, and 22 RBIs.
- Jordan Williams continues to contribute with a .360 batting average, adding four doubles and three triples as part of her 18 hits.
- Camryn Lookadoo is hitting .362 with 17 hits, including a team-high 6 doubles.
- Louisville's team batting average stands at .350, with 129 runs scored and a .520 slugging percentage compared to opponents' .359.
- Through 19 games, six Cardinals have double-digit RBIs and seven have recorded at least 15 hits.
- Senior Alyssa Zabala leads the Louisville pitching staff with a 2.05 ERA and four wins in 30.2 innings pitched, giving up just nine earned runs and striking out 20 so far.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Ball State Cardinals
- Series Record: Louisville leads 4-1
- Last Meeting: March 8, 2015 – Louisville won 8-0 in 5 innings in the Louisville Softball Classic
- Scouting the Cardinals: Ball State is 7-6 overall, hitting .294 as a team with 103 hits, 19 doubles, 8 home runs and 68 RBI through 13 games.
- Lindsey DeRoeck has been the Cardinals' most productive hitter, batting .463 (19-for-41) with 7 doubles, 3 home runs, 17 RBI and a .902 slugging percentage. Ella Whitney is hitting .385 with 3 home runs and 14 RBI, while also drawing seven walks for a .458 on-base percentage. Skylinn Pogue adds speed and run production, batting .372 with a team-high 13 runs scored and 16 hits.
- As a staff, Ball State owns a 3.32 team ERA, allowing 41 earned runs in 86.1 innings while holding opponents to a .283 batting average. Bridie Murphy has logged a team-high 26.2 innings with a 3.15 ERA and 14 strikeouts, providing stability in the rotation. Grace Gray has contributed both in the circle (3.11 ERA, 15 strikeouts in 18.0 innings) and offensively, while also helping anchor a pitching staff that has limited opponents to six total home runs.
- The Cardinals are led by Helen Peña who is in her third year at Ball State, totaling a 69-53 record.
Illinois Fighting Illini
- Series Record: Louisville trails 5-8
- Last Meeting: March 17, 2024 – Louisville won 5-4 in final game of Cardinal Classic
- Scouting the Illini: Illinois is 7-12 overall, hitting .267 as a team with 130 hits, 16 home runs and 64 RBI through 19 games.
- Adisyn Caryl leads the lineup with a .418 batting average (23-for-55), adding 4 doubles, 3 home runs and a team-high 16 RBI while posting a .493 on-base percentage. Skylar Brennan is hitting .375 (21-for-56) with five doubles and a .429 OBP, giving Illinois another consistent top-of-the-order bat.
- Ellie Haggard provides the team's biggest power presence, launching 6 home runs with 16 RBI and a .704 slugging percentage. Keirys Click has added extra-base production with 3 doubles and 2 home runs while handling 100 defensive chances behind the plate with a .990 fielding percentage.
- In the circle, Abby Sabalaskey anchors the staff with a 2.29 ERA over 55.0 innings, striking out 35 while earning five wins. As a pitching staff, Illinois holds a 4.59 team ERA with 70 strikeouts in 119.0 innings, while opponents are hitting .305 against them.
- A trio of Illinois juniors, Eileen Donahue, Adisyn Caryl, and Megan Nuechterlein, were named 2026 Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch.
- Illinois is led by LSU alum, Tyra Perry who is in her 11th year with the Fighting Illini, accumulating a 293-237 record.
Players Mentioned
C/UT
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INF
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OF
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C/UT
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OF
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RHP
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