Cards Drop NCAA Opener 5-1 -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Offense Falters Against GCU

Louisville softball opened their regional round against Grand Canyon yesterday afternoon in Lincoln, but unfortunately, it seems like the offense thought they had a bit more time off. The Cards managed just one run on four hits, three walks and an HBP. The only extra base hit was Madison Pickens's 11th home run of the season, which scored the Cards' only run in the sixth inning. By that point, GCU had already scored four. 

Louisville got off on the wrong foot straight out of the gate, allowing the leadoff batter to reach on an error. That was followed by a single, a productive fly out, and another single to score an unearned run. A fielder's choice would've been the third out, so the double that followed scored another unearned run. Zabala finally got out of the inning after allowing three hits and the error, and the Cards trailed 2-0. Louisville picked up one of their hits and one of their walks in the bottom of the first, but both came with two outs and they left the pair on base.

Zabala looked to have settled in a bit in the second, getting quick outs from the 8th and 9th batters in the GCU lineup, but the leadoff batter stung again with a solo homer to left. That was the only run in the inning, but the Cards trailed 3-0. A 1-2-3 bottom half, including the Cards' 2nd and 3rd strikeouts of the game kept the score as it was. Zabala picked up another two quick outs to open the third, but a double ended her day. Brooke Gray came on in relief and got a fly out to end the threat. The Cards got another single and another walk, but they also got another strikeout and they left two more on base, raising their count to four. 

Gray earned Louisville's first defensive 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, but the Cards responded by doing the same thing in the bottom half. Two more strikeouts raised Louisville's count to six through four innings. Yikes. GCU threatened again in the fifth, with back-to-back singles opening and putting runners on the corners. Gray coaxed a pop-out and then the GCU runner got over aggressive on a fly out. Pickens caught the out in left and threw a rocket to Bri Despines at the plate. The runner was a bit late to leave, and tried to retreat to third, but it was a short pickle. Despines threw to Riley Janda for the out. 

The bottom of the fifth saw the Cards strand two more following two more strikeouts. Can you tell that the Cards would have been much better off if they could put the bat on the ball? A solo homer opened the sixth, and, after a fly out, a double ended Gray's day. Jayden Gohs picked up a strike out and a ground out to end the threat. Pickens' home run came in the bottom of the sixth, matching the GCU run, but the Cards couldn't score any more and the deficit remained three. 

The seventh saw GCU's McCray benefit from an error just like in the first. This time she singled and the error came when she stole second and Despines overthrew the attempt to catch her. McCray advanced to third with no outs. A sacrifice fly scored the run and advanced the other runner. Some base running antics ended the inning after another fly out resulted in a double play. Louisville entered the bottom of the seventh trailing by four with the 8th batter coming up. Ava Venturelli flew out, but Janda walked to turn over the order. Chelsea Mack and Easton Lotus hit back-to-back fly outs to end the game. 

Louisville will return to action in the region's first elimination game this afternoon at 3:30 PM. They'll take on South Dakota, the four-seed. The Coyotes fell 4-1 against Nebraska last night. No video availability is listed, but ESPN+ would be a good bet. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

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