Cards eliminated from NCAA Tournament in 4-2 loss to South Dakota -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

COYOTES BOUNCE PAST CARDS IN NCAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. 

And, so, the 2026 Louisville Cardinals softball season comes to a dull thud with their second loss in two days in the NCAA Tournament. South Dakota, the school from Vermillion. South Dakota sent Louisville home with a 4-2 win in the Lincoln regional. For Louisville, another case of where the bats just never got productive . Sun's out, runs out held true for So. Dakota and not UofL Saturday in Nebraska on Saturday.

As usual, I don't choose to talk very much about Cardinals losses. In this one, it was Madi Reeves selected to begin the game in the circle for the Cards, and one has to wonder why Holly Aprile went with her instead of Brooke Gray or Alyssa Zabala in an elimination game. 4-2 on the season...an ERA of almost six runs a game. But, as I have often said here...I'm not paid to coach or make decisions, I just report on what i see. It was Reeves in the circle when the Coyotes scored their three runs, which proved to be enough to win the game.  Zabala came on in relief and kept the Coyotes at bay with them scoring just one runs the rest of the way...but...yeah...good pitch, no hit Cards in this one. 

Louisville took a 1-0 lead in this one....when Easton Lotus Drove home Chelsea Mack. after that, just one more run...in the fourth when Taylor Monroe crossed home plate. 

Louisville left 11 runners on base in the seven innings. No, that isn't a typo. 11 runners. 

Three runs across the plate in two days. The days of Taylor Roby, Jordan McNary, Chelsea Bemis, Maryssa Becker, Megan Hensley and Melissa Roth are gone, gang.

 A team that is 21-35-1 defeats a team that ended 44-14. 

And...maybe that's as good a way to end today's column as any. 

pauli