CARDS WIN BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

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LOUISVILLE SOFTBALL WINS BIG EAST TOURNAMENT 4-3 OVER NOTRE DAME


-Jordan Trimble walk off homer in eighth gives UofL a 4-3 win.


-HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! 

Hometown girl makes good. Louisville sophomore Jordan Trimble, from Louisville Manual High School, took Laura Winter's first pitch of the eighth inning over the right-field fence to give Louisville the 2012 BIG EAST Tournament trophy. 


A comeback win for the Cards...who were down 3-0 after three innings. Once again, the never-say-die, play to the final out philosophy of Sandy Pearsall's crew prevails...defeating the Irish on their home field on a cool, cloudy and rainy day in South Bend. 


Tori Collins got the start for Louisville, the first of three Cardinal pitchers to enter the circle Saturday night. Laura Winter was the pitching foe, the Big East Pitcher of the year. 

Not sure if we settled who was the better of the two today...Winter gave up ten hits in seven innings and Collins allowed eight hits in her four innings on the mound. 


Notre Dame put the first run on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Casey O'Conner singling and scoring on a Alexa Maldonado, two-out bloop single to left. 


The Cards couldn't get anything much accomplished early against Winter...just three hits in three innings...and when the Irish's Katey Haus drilled a two-run homer off Collins with two outs in the top of the third inning-- the Cards found themselves down 3-0 to the #2 seed in the BIG EAST. 


It would be the last runs Notre Dame would produce, though. After Collins got the Irish out in the top of the fourth, UofL went to work. 

Taner Fowler started the inning with her 12th home run of the year, a blast to left-center that easily cleared the fence. Trimble followed with a triple to right-center. She scored on a Katelyn Mann sacrifice bunt to get Louisville back within one. Hannah Kiyohara hit into a double play to end the inning, though ...and Notre Dame had a brief reprieve. 


Caralisa Connell replaced Collins in the circle to start the fifth inning and shut the Irish down with just a Haus infield single. The Cards tied it in the home half of the inning...Jennifer Esteban singling to left-center, going to second on a Alicja Wolny walk and scoring on Taner Fowler's second RBI of the game...a sharp single to left. With two outs, Jordan Trimble sent a high fly to center...but Maldonado backed up to the fence and made the catch to end the inning. Trimble was sending deep flies to the outfield each time up. 

Rain greeted the teams as the Cards took the field to start the sixth. Connell set the Irish down in order in the top half of the inning, but Louisville could only manage a Katelyn Mann single to right in the steady downpour in the bottom of the inning.


The Irish threatened in the top of the seventh as the rain eventually stopped. With two walks from Connell, they had runners on second and third with two outs. Sandy Pearsall went to the bullpen and brought in Chelsea "Super Reliever"  Leonard to pitch to Haus and the move paid off...Haus retired on a ground ball to Whitney Arion at short to end the inning and the threat. 


Louisville opened the bottom of the seventh with the top of the order, but Esteban grounded out, Keller took  a called third strike from Winter...who then proceeded to hit the next batter -- Alicja Wolny -- with a pitch. The Cards couldn't capitalize on the baserunner, though...Fowler flied out to center to send the game to extra innings. 

Leonard got the Cards through the top of the eighth, facing four batters and giving up a single before getting the third out. 

That set the stage for Trimble...who took Winter's first pitch of the inning to deep right and over the fence to give the Cards the win and their first tournament title since 2007. 


We figure that distance from plate to the fence where the ball went over is about 210 feet. Jordan's shot went 211. Maybe. 


It was a classic moment and fitting tribute for the sophomore who never seems rattled, is always smiling and overcame a devastating broken ankle last year to return to the lineup and become the anchor of the team in center field. An infielder her first year at UofL, Trimble accepted Coach Pearsall's re-assignment without a grumble or question. It's what leaders and team players do.


Jordie is majoring in Justice Administration. Yesterday, she administered a little justice of her own. 

Had her "Christmas Story" moment after
misjudging a fly ball against the
Cards Saturday. Naughty, naughty! 

Notre Dame. Beaten in their place by the Cards. The arrogant Irish, suggesting that the conference regular-season title might have landed in South Bend if the two had met in the regular BIG EAST schedule. The goof-ball antics of their pitcher and her demeaning display of superiority after getting a strike out. Act like you've been there before, Laura. The f-bomb dropping center fielder Alexa Maldonado.




Here's a thought...when on ESPN 2...remember the cameras just might be on you and there are kids watching. 


Trimble was named  M.O.P. of the tournament. Collins, Fowler, Trimble and Wolny were named to the All-tournament team. 

The NCAA Softball Selection Show will be Sunday at 10 p.m. on ESPNU. One would expect Louisville to get a chance to host one of the sixteen regional sites. 


Nice way to finish the BIG EAST slate. Now, the NCAA awaits. One game at a time, CARDS...one inning at a time. 


YOUR 2012 BIG EAST REGULAR SEASON AND TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS !!


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Happy Mothers Day to all! 


Paul: 

There's not a day that goes by where I don't think of my departed Mom. Although her time on earth was short, her impact on me, my family and those who knew her was large. 


They say that a mother's work is never done and I believe that. I know that my mom is smiling down upon me in heaven...proud of the accomplishments we managed here on earth below. I wear her wedding band on my little finger of my left hand...a reminder of her...and wish all Mom's out there the best. Happy Mother's Day! 


Sonja: 

I am fortunate enough to still have my 'Mutti' with me and able to enjoy the things in life with her. I wish a very happy Mothers Day to each and every Mom out there and thanks for the things you do.


We leave you with this great Mother's Day story.


The flock of ducklings were following their mother right up to the edge of the busy highway. Trusting, obedient and grouped behind her. Traffic, however, was heavy and there seemed no way that they'd get to the other side of the road. 


A station wagon stopped and a lady got out. She motioned for the traffic behind her to stop...and then walked right into the opposing lane of traffic and held up her hand.


4:30 p.m., rush hour traffic. But, the cars stopped. Mama Duck saw the hiatus in car movement and led her brood across the road. 


A frustrated motorist several cars back yelled out the window.


"Hey lady, what do you think you're doing?"


She loudly replied,


"Being a mother. Helping a mother." 


You could hear the cheers and applause from the rest of the cars as the pack scurried to safety. 


Sometimes, it takes a mother to get it done.
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