Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Softball ends season with 8-3 loss to Boston University

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Softball ends season with loss to Terriers

- Angel to the rescue!  Dream beats Fever




Pitching woes end yet another UofL NCAA stay

Maryssa returns next year

We mentioned it here yesterday and it came to pass again Saturday. We'll say it again...

Louisville softball pitching stinks in NCAA Tournament play.

Rachel LeCoq allowed five runs in the first inning against Boston University and the Cards end their NCAA run for 2014 by a score of 8-3.

A season of highs and lows...ending with a in-circle performance of 21 runs allowed in the last two games from the Louisville pitchers.

Unacceptable.

LeCoq graduates

The challenge is for Sandy Pearsall to find someone who can step in the circle and get outs....not allow doubles and shots over the fence.


Especially against a Patriot League conference team. We wonder if Bellermine is calling softball scheduling to get hooked up for a chance to pick up a few easy non-conference 2015 wins?  

This is embarrassing. Louisville heads to the ACC to compete in 2015 Softball...and loses Katie Keller, Taner Fowler, Hannah Kiyohata and Maggie Ruckenbrod...big bats.

Hello basement.

Tiarra Sanabria didn't pitch much

Maryssa Becker and Tiarra Sanabria return as pitchers. We here Pearsall has recruited a couple more good arms.

We hope so. This is getting frustrating and embarrassing.

UCLA puts up 20+ against the Cards in the NCAA regional last year. Against LeCoq and Connell. This year...LSU and BU cross the plate 21 times. Against LeCoq, Connell and Becker. Becker will get three years to improve....but, the final analysis of the girls inside the circle?

Unacceptable.

Caralisa had a rough senior year

Louisville put together a good run at the end of the year in the AAC. They were the pre-season pick to win the conference, finished 3rd in the regular-season standings  and won the AAC Conference tournament to get the automatic NCAA bid. They will be fortunate if they can accomplish anything close to resembling next year in a ACC conference which has tons of talent.

A renovated Ulmer Stadium is nice. How about a renovated pitching staff, too?


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Angel's three puts Atlanta over Indiana

Angel McCoughtry hit a 3-point shot from the top of the key with 8.8 seconds to play in the second overtime, and the Atlanta Dream held on for a 90-88 win over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night.


McCoughtry led the Dream (2-0) by scoring 27 points in a reserve role. Erika DeSouza and Shoni Schimmel added 17 each, and Schimmel had 10 assists. Sancho Lyttle scored 10 points and grabbed 21 rebounds.


Erlana Larkins had a double-double for the Fever (0-2), scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Rookie Natasha Howard scored 21 points, and Briann January had 20.


The Fever played again without All-Star forward Tamika Catchings (back).


"For my first home game, it was good, and we fought to the end," said Howard, the No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft. "We're like sisters on this team, and we're still getting to know each other and play with each other."


McCoughtry didn't know if the winning basket came off a play designed for her, but she made the
most of the opportunity. She cut off a screen, and despite being challenged, made the shot from the top of the key.


"Honestly, I didn't think that was the play," she said. "Sancho just saw me. I told her, `It was a really smart play."


McCoughtry said she didn't start because coach Michael Cooper was trying to rest McCoughtry's sore right hip after her long return from Turkey, where she played during the offseason.


A large contingent of fans from Louisville, where McCoughtry and Schimmel played, made them feel more at home.


"I didn't think they would be that large," McCoughtry said. "I'm just excited for our team. That was extra fun, definitely."


The Fever went for the win on their final possession, but Maggie Lucas' 3-point shot from the right side bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

 



paulie