CARDS OUT OF ACC TOURNAMENT WITH 3-2 LOSS TO NC STATE
The Cards started off well enough, getting Kelsi Jones across the plate on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first to grab a 1-0 advantage. The lead held behind the strong pitching of Maryssa Becker until the fourth inning when the Pack tied it on a walk, fielders choice and single.
The fifth inning featured two scores...NC State gaining a 2-1 lead...loading the bases and scoring on a fielders choice. Becker got out of the jam, though and UofL got a soaring shot from Hailey Smith starting the Cards at bat with a homer to center. Louisville added two more runners when Jordan McNary was hit by a pitch and Whitney Arion walked but could not get either home.
NC State grabbed the lead for good in the sixth. Two Louisville errors in the inning and a double put the scoreboard to 3-2.
It looked as if the Cards were going to tie it in the bottom of the sixth. Brittany Duncan singled and speedy Morgan Meyer came in as a pinch runner. She moved to third with one out and tried to score on a Smith fly ball to center but was tagged out in a collision with the NC State catcher at home plate. Unfortunately, the play at the plate wasn't close.
After Becker retired NC State in the top of the seventh...Louisville was retired in order in the seventh on two strikeouts (looking) and a ground-out to first to give NC State pitcher Emily Weiman her 28th. win of the year and the Wolfpack their ninth win in a row.
Becker allowed five hits and three runs...two of them earned...pitching her way out of several tough situations. The Cards simply couldn't do what the basic premise of the game is, though.
Outscore the opponent.
NC State moves on to face FSU today. The #1 seeded Seminoles downed #8 seed Boston College 4-2. #2 UNC moves forward with a 3-2 win over host #7 seed Virginia Tech and will play #6 seed Pitt today...the Panthers pulling off the upset over #3 seed Notre Dame 8-1.
Congratulations to seniors Whitney Arion and Kelsi Jones and sophomore Maryssa Becker. They were named to the All-ACC Squad.
LACROSSE STARTS NCAA PLAY AGAINST NORTHWESTERN TODAY
Kellie Young's Net and Stick girls are in Evanston, IL to begin NCAA Tournament play. They'll face home-standing Northwestern today at 4:30 p.m.Northwestern is the #8 seed in the tournament and is ranked #9 in the polls. They are a perfect 3-0 against # 18 Louisville in lifetimes matches and own a 12-10 victory over the Cards earlier this season. It was also the Wildcats who put UofL out of the 2014 NCAA Tournament in the second round.
Time for a little payback...Laxers.
No TV that we know of on this one. UofL's Lacrosse Twitter account:
@LouisvilleLax
does a good job of updating the action, though and we'll follow it that way.
paulie
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I watched the game on my computer and was pulling my hair out over the lack of fundamentals by the Cards. I am sure that I am hypercritical due to coaching years of softball and baseball on the recreational level and for high schools. Nevertheless, I truly believe that my high school softball teams at Manual were better, fundamentally that the Cards. Not only did the card have two women strike out looking in critical situation ( an unforgivable sin, to me) in the 7th, but they continually have players out of position. An example for that would be the throw to second on a steal by the opponent and there was no one there to take the throw from the catcher. The shortstop ended up try to cut the ball off in shallow centerfield. These things have bothered me all year.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have consistent input from an experienced coach in this sport. From the outside looking in the lack of fundamental skills in the era of Club Ball in all HS level sports is pretty clear and concerning by the time they get to college. I'm just bummed that even in that context our kids couldn't capitalize on their opportunities. There's always next year.
DeleteGood Luck to the LAX clubbers today. Nothing to lose. Stranger things have happened.
I would venture that errors and on-field judgement decisions by Softball have been as big a bugaboo as lack of passing skills was for Volleyball this year.
DeleteThe tag-up and go by Meyer in the bottom of the sixth seemed to be a questionable decision, IMHO. The throw reached the catcher in plenty of time to tag out Meyer...who proceeded to "sack" the catcher with a full body blow. Unfortunately the ball did not pop out of the catcher's mitt. Why not slide here?
Not real sure of the base path interference rules in women's softball...but Meyer's access to home plate was seriously hindered by the catcher's position. I always thought the basepaths belonged to the runner.
A couple of throws to first by the Cards on routine plays also spelled disaster...with a drop and an overthrow.
Nevertheless...Louisville got a good enough pitching performance from Becker to win this game. With four hits only, though...key opportunities to drive in base-runners were squandered. Weiman is a good pitcher, make no mistake about that...but the Cards have faced and beaten better this season.
I am, by no means, qualified enough to coach a college softball team...let's make that clear. All this is...from me...is backseat driving and Monday Morning quarterbacking.
From a fan's viewpoint, though, which is what we do here at CC...Louisville's lack of consistant, RBI-producing hitting hindered the squad all season long.
There are some great hitters returning. Louisville loses key batters, though, in Duncan, Jones, Smith, Arion and Soles . It will be interesting to see how Coach P countermands these losses.
Paulie
I think Smith returns at 3rd base for one year, Paulie. Looking at the returning players, though, I don't see where you finding many great hitters retuning. Becker for sure. McNary maybe. Dillard and Szy "Mike" possible. Sims at times. After that, a whole lot of unproven
Deletetime for louisville to go in a different direction in coaching for softball
ReplyDeletePaulie, Home plate is different from the other three bases. The catcher has more leeway on blocking the basepath than they do out in the infield. I wish that were not true. I can tell a story. I was coaching first base at Maunal and we had a runner coming home. she and the ball got there at about the same time and she collided with a very big strong catcher. who dropped the ball on the tag. The collision caused some pain to both girls as evident from them laying on the ground. I then proceeded to shout at our runner, "touch home, Amy." That goes to a mind set in that only after she had touched home did I call timeout to see if the players were alright.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the clarification., Charles. The collision between Meyer and the NC State catcher was hard-hitting as well yesterday but, unfortunately for UofL, the NC State catcher maintained glove possession of the ball.
DeleteUpset alert. NC State 3 - FSU 1 in the 4th
ReplyDeleteNow 6-4 FSU in 6th. If you had twin daughters...would you name them Lacey and Macey?
ReplyDeletePaulie
Unfortunately, I have a cousin whose 4 children are named: Haden, Hadlyn, Hayden and Haelin...guess it doesn't matter in that house if you get called by someone else's name. And, no, I don't like "cutesy" names but great nicknames are another story.
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