Softball banquet: All about the appreciation -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CAPACITY CROWD FOR SOFTBALL'S BULLPEN CLUB DINNER 

There was a consistent theme at the UofL Softball Bullpen Club Dinner Saturday night at the Brown & Williamson Club in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and it dealt with appreciation.   

Appreciation from the players on being able to play at Louisville and with their teammates. Appreciation from head Softball coach Sandy Pearsall for her players, staff, sponsors of the program and the attendance of the event...plus appreciation for keynote speaker Lauren Chamberlain.

Chamberlain continued the theme during her remarks, encouraging the players to appreciate their college years and the chance to play college softball. She also encouraged them to keep up the positive attitude that was present during the evening's events and appreciate the efforts of their teammates, coaches and fans.

SONJA AND PAULIE LISTEN TO SEAN QUIZ LAUREN

We were certainly appreciative of being there and Sonja and I ran into Worldwide shortly upon arrival and appreciated the chance to talk with and interview some great people.

Coach Pearsall was effusive in her remarks about the crowd, the players and the upcoming speaker. We also got a few words in with the "pros"...both Whitney Arion and Kelsi Jones were in attendance. Both were able to play professional softball after graduation this summer. Arion is a softball coach now at Eastern Kentucky University and Jones working in an administrative capacity at Ball State. 

We saved our final interview for the chance to speak with the Soles sisters...Kayla graduated and working with 8-12 year olds...teaching them the fundamentals of the game and sophomore sister Jamie working to gain a spot in the Cardinal infield this season. 

We'll have all the interviews on the next CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR...and they were great fun to conduct. 

Sonja and I were fortunate enough to be at the table where redshirt sophomore outfielder Nicole Pufahl and sophomore utility player Ashley Nikolao and her parents were sitting. Both were stunning in their dresses (one gets used to seeing them in uniforms and when the girls get dressed up for events like this, it's a pleasant surprise and sight for viewing) and the two will be part of the power contingent that Pearsall will send to the plate against foes this season. 

Keynote speaker Chamberlain was a delight to listen to and the post-address interview with emcee Sean Moth revealed that she's been fortunate enough to meet and talk with stars Peyton Manning and Justin Bieber. 

The evening ended all too soon and it was a great night of casual conversation with old and new friends and a chance to hear from the girls that will be shaping the future of college softball at Louisville. A time to be appreciative. 

As Chamberlain commented during her address: 

" I'd give anything in the world to trade places with you and be sitting where you are right now...with a season ahead of you and so many great experiences and opportunities ahead. Appreciate them, because when they are over...I can tell you...you'll miss them so much and wish you were still playing college softball." 

(And Coach Pearsall would probably appreciate her bat in the lineup this season). 

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The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour from yesterday is now up and available on the Crescent Hill Soundcloud. Another fun show! 

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-012316

paulie
xxxxx

Softball and Volleyball updates -- Tuesday Cardinal Couple

Softballers Go Pro

After finishing their eligibility this year, two Cardinal Softballers are getting a paycheck for their playing.  Right Fielder Kelsi Jones was signed by the Chicago Bandits in open tryouts.  Whitney Arion was likewise signed by the Pennsylvania Rebellion after open tryouts to continue her career playing shortstop.

Kelsi Jones (left) and Whitney Arion (right) meet in the opening weekend of the NPF league

In an interesting twist, the season opener for the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch) league was between the Chicago Bandits and the Pennsylvania Rebellion.  Neither Jones or Arion played in the opener, but by the third day of play, both had broken into the starting lineup.

Chicago came out on the winning side of all three matchups with the Rebellion over the weekend with scores of 2-0, 5-0, and 12-4.

Best wishes to the latest Cards to make the Pro ranks.

Volleyballer on Junior National Team

Incoming Cardinal freshman Molly Sauer out of Assumption High School has been named to the US Junior National Volleyball team for the second year in a row.  Molly will be playing Libero for the US team, and is expected to play the same position for the Cardinals in the fall.

Molly Sauer (center, #6) with last year's US Junior National Team

During Sauer's stint with the Junior National team last summer, the US team won the NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship.

This year, the team will train and compete from July 4th through July 12th in Trieste, Italy and Maribor, Slovenia.  During this week, the team will compete with Senior National Teams from Croatia and Israel, as well as Junior National Teams from Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.  They will also compete with Hungary's U22 team.  Other matches may get scheduled.

Following the training and friendly matches, the team will travel to Pula, Croatia to compete in the Global Challenge.

Good luck to the USJNT in Europe.

RADIO, RADIO !!!!

Our latest broadcast is up and available on the crescenthill.com website for your listening pleasure. We have a great eight minutes with Shoni Schimmel and Angel McCoughtry, a Worldwide quiz and coverage on all your favorite UofL women's sports. 

LINK BELOW:

https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-053015

JMcA

GAME TIME CHANGE FOR CARDS SOFTBALL FRIDAY VS KANSAS -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS VS KANSAS MOVED UP DUE TO WEATHER CONCERNS

A timely update from UofL Softball asst. SID Lori Korte Thursday night as I was preparing the article on the Cards NCAA first round game against Kansas that was scheduled for Friday 5 p.m.

Make that 1 p.m. now.

Inclement weather expected for Columbia, MO. Friday night necessitating the schedule change. Missouri and Indiana State will follow at 4 p.m.

Not a biggie...the Cards left Wednesday for the "Show me" state and are prepared to face the BIG 12 foe. 

Another question in coaching strategy...wondering if

Pearsall will send out Maryssa Becker or not Friday against 'Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk' in hopes of bettering the chances to advance to the winner's bracket in the regional. Shelby McCombs at the ready if chosen to go first...a double elimination format at hand and Louisville technically either the #2 or #3 seed in this regional.

Becker recently selected to the 2015 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division 1 All-Southeast Region third team. A nice honor for the All-ACC selection...she is 14-7 on the season and has a 2.22 ERA. She's also a force out of the circle...a team-leading 39 RBI's, 9 home runs and a .350 batting average. 

The Cards will need that bat and more tomorrow against the Jayhawks. Well-rested and determined to give seniors Duncan, Jones, Arion and Soles a few more games to perform as Cardinals...Louisville should find the Jayhawk pitching a relief in comparison to some of the circle-masters the Cards have faced this season. 

It'll be available on ESPN3 and UofL's softball twitter account also does a great job of providing updates.

KENNY LOVES LOUISVILLE

Had the opportunity to hear UofL Sports Information Director Kenny Klein speak Thursday night at the monthly meeting of the Sportsmen's Supper Club. Kenny's been on the job since August of 1983...coming to Louisville after a couple of years at Morehead. 

Three things to know about 'KK':

1) He loves Louisville and Louisville athletics. It's a love he shares with a lot of us.

2) He still drives the car every day that Rick Pitino gave him. As we know, Coach P. has a heart the size of Texas.

3) The NCAA Final Four is his favorite event. He's there every year working the media table and so is the UofL Stat crew. 

His enthusiasm and optimism for the school, his bosses and the athletic programs is as strong as it was when he arrived here. He's seen changes galore in the campus and in the community. 

Kenny, his seven assistant SID's and the staff, photographers and video folks keep us 'in the know' and allow us to enjoy the stories, sights and sounds of Cardinal Athletics by providing us a comprehensive overview of 'Cardinalology'

From Milt Wagner to Trez Harrell, from Jackie Spencer to Shoni Schimmel and from Denny Crum to Rick Pitino...Mr.
Klein and crew have seen it all and relay it to us.

We, here at CARDINAL COUPLE, find the SID department indispensable and valuable for what we do. They're just as big a part of the teams we enjoy as the players and coaches...because they provide us with knowledge...and we all know that knowledge is power. We thank Kenny and his hard-working associates. 
  
paulie
xxxxxa 

Thoughts on Senior Day -- Tuesday Cardinal Couple

Thoughts on "Senior Day"

Sunday was Senior Day for UofL's Softball team.  As we near the end of the spring sports season, we see the traditional celebrations for each team's "graduating" "seniors".  I put air quotes around both words because the tradition of Senior Day is more a recognition of the end of a player's collegiate eligibility, or perhaps their expectation that they will no longer be involved with the team for some reason or another.

 Many players will have already graduated with an undergraduate degree and have already embarked on some graduate level courses, and occasionally, in extraordinary cases...I'm thinking of Tia Gibbs, as an example...will have achieved more than one degree.  Others, on the other hand, may be taking the next major step of their life before they finish a degree.  Whatever the case, its very possible that the athletes being honored are neither seniors, nor graduating.

I love the tradition of Senior Day, even if it does sometimes feel a bit scripted.  The young men and women that compete in collegiate athletics and are preparing to take the next major step of their lives should be honored.  Beyond the process of graduation, which may or may not roughly coincide with the completion of an athletes athletic eligibility or involvement with the program, whatever the cause, that next step should be honored.  Most of these young men and women have been actively pursuing the sport...or sports...of their choice since early childhood.

 Some may go on to pursue their sport at another school, perhaps by beginning a course of graduate study, while others may take the next step to professional athletics.  

Most, however, will see this as the end of high-level competitive play in a sport that has likely been a major part of the majority of their life.  For those men and women, to say that this is a life adjustment, is the understatement of the season.  Of course, the transition from college student to making a living in the wide world is an adjustment just on its own, but for student-athletes, the change is even more drastic.

Taking a few minutes, before one of the last home competitions of the season, to honor those seniors, to remember their contributions, to laugh at awkward pictures from their childhood displayed in all of their jumbotron glory, is more than a little bittersweet, but is an important observation of where they have come from. 

Taking a moment to reflect before taking the next big step forward is healthy, it puts the hard work and time spent in context.  Whether that moment of contemplation is more important to the athlete, or to the family and friends that have supported them, and yes even us, the fans, is a question that I don't have an answer for.

Softball honored four seniors before the double-header started on Sunday.  Two of  the seniors, Brittany Duncan and Kelsi Jones, transferred from other schools and were only able to play for the Cards for two years.  Their value, even in just two years, to the Cardinal Softball team can not be adequately described.  Whitney Arion and Kayla Soles, however, were with UofL Softball for four years, and, in addition to the value of their play on the field which is considerable, have provided continuity and have helped create the wonderful culture that exists on the softball team.

The activities of senior day do become somewhat scripted, I fear.  For the staff that works with these teams, and even to the fans, we see a similar staging in each sport, each season, but I hope that we can take those few moments as the athletes walk out, flanked by family or those who have taken on the role of family, to claim a framed jersey and bouquet of flowers and to have their picture taken with the coaches, to remember what this moment means to these players, to what it means for their life journey, and to remember that we all are part of supporting them...perhaps only a small part, but a part nonetheless...and helping them embark on their life as adults.

Paulie and I are blessed, in our work with Cardinal Couple, to get to know some of the young women of UofL athletics on something of a personal level, and I believe we are doubly blessed when those relationships...limited though they may be...continue on beyond the departure from the halls of academia and the sports facilities of Floyd Street and elsewhere.

To Brittany, Kelsi, Whitney, Kayla, and all of the other seniors of this year:  Its been a pleasure watching you play your sport for the past years, we wish you well in whatever the next step in your life is.

On a side note, UofL Softball quietly added something to the Senior Day festivities that I heartily approve of.  Just after the main ceremony was concluded one of the staff members went over to Boston College's dugout and gave bouquets of flowers to the Boston College seniors.  BC will honor these seniors in their own Senior Day festivities, of course, but I thought it was a nice touch to include the other team in the honors.  While I have seen this gesture made in other Senior Day ceremonies, its not a common occurrence.

Golf Going To South Bend

The NCAA selection for Golf occurred Monday evening, and UofL was selected as the 11th seed for the NCAA Regional being hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend.  The regional competition will be May 7th-9th at Warren Golf Course.  The top six teams and three individuals not associated with those six teams will advance to the NCAA championship which will be May 22-27 at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, FL.

jmca

Cards go 1-1 on Sunday -- Monday Cardinal Couple

DOUBLEHEADER DIVIDED AGAINST B.C.

Louisville Softball managed ten hits against Boston College pitcher Allison Frei in 13 innings yesterday but could only get one runner across the plate in a 1-0, 0-3 split yesterday at Ulmer Stadium.

If you like pitcher's duels, the Cardinal Softball complex on the corner of Floyd and Brandeis was the place to be.

The Cards...looking to stay in the running for a top three finish in the ACC Conference...got a strong performance from staff ace Maryssa Becker in the first game. The Oregon sophomore allowed just three Eagle hits and struck out five to improve her record to 13-5.

As she usually does, Becker helped her own cause at the bat. Jordan McNary, who went three for three in the first game, singled and scored in the bottom of the first. Becker drove her home with a single. The Cards added two more base runners in the inning but did not add to the 1-0 lead.

And that's how it ended...1-0.

In game two, Shelby McCombs took to the circle for Sandy Pearsall's squad and held B.C. in check until the top of third inning. An error, sacrifice bunt, fielder's choice and single gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead. A triple with two outs in the fourth helped Boston College (21-21, 4-14 ACC) push another run across the plate and they added a third score in the sixth inning with two singles and a two-base throwing error by Louisville.

The Cards threatened with runners in scoring position in the first, third and fifth innings but the scoreboard remained at 0 for the home team.

It was Senior Day at the ballpark and pre-game festivities honored Kelsi Jones, Kayla Soles, Brittany Duncan and Whitney Arion. Soles and Arion played all four years at Louisville. Duncan transferred in from Valparaiso after her junior year and Jones joined the Cards after two years at Missouri.

They were a part of 165 wins, two conference tournament titles and three NCAA appearances while wearing the Cardinals uniform.

-- Duncan...the powerful DH who smashed 10 home runs and drew 48 walks as a junior. Plagued by a thumb injury this season...she returned as a starter back on 4.21.15.

-- Soles, who did a bit of everything for the Cards after arriving from New Egypt, NJ...playing five different positions. A 2014 AAC second team selections as well.

-- Arion came in as a freshman and claimed the shortstop position and became the Cards leader in the infield. Always a threat at the plate and flawless on defense.

-- Jones, a transfer from Missouri who led the Cards at bat and handled all the outfield positions during her two years here. She currently leads the ACC in doubles and the Cards in batting average, steals and runs.

These four have a bit of playing to do, still, as they lead the Cards through the remainder of the regular season, conference tournament and, hopefully, an NCAA bid. Four student-athletes who made their mark at Louisville and will be missed after graduation.

The Cards were looking to gain ground yesterday on Notre Dame and UNC who are second and third in the ACC. Those two split in a couple of slugfests yesterday...UNC taking the first game 7-3 and the Irish responding win a 17-9 win in the second game. UNC ended a Notre Dame win streak that went back to March 17th by taking the first contest. UNC retains second behind Florida State with a 16-5 conference mark. Notre Dame sits at 17-6 and the Cards are 14-6.

Louisville returns to the diamond on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. game in Ulmer against in-state rival Western Ky.

paulie
xxxxx

Softball Cards run-rule Cats 8-0 behind Becker's one-hitter -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

( In today's Cardinal Couple...we look at Softball's huge win over the Cats and WBB is headed south for Thanksgiving!) 

CARDS SHUT OUT UK IN LEXINGTON

Louisville banged out ten hits against three different UK pitchers and Maryssa Becker allowed just one hit in a six-inning, 8-0 run-rule win over UK Tuesday night in Lexington.

Becker gave up a 1st inning single to UK leadoff batter Nikki Sagermann and that proved to be the only hit UK would muster against the Oregon sophomore.

The Cards, meanwhile, were having a hitting spree against UK.

Louisville took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Becker helped her own cause with a two-run homer to left on a 1-0 pitch with two outs...scoring Hailey Smith.

She pitched her way out of the only serious threat by UK in the third inning...the Cats had runners on second and third from a walk and throwing error with two outs...but Becker fanned UK's Christian Stokes to get out of the inning.

The Cards would add two more in the fourth when Whitney Arion singled and came home on a Becker single...her third RBI of the game. After Kelsi Jones reached on a fielder's choice Tiarra Sanabria delivered a two-out double down the right field line to score Jones.

Louisville almost reached a run-rule scenario in the fifth...scoring three runs. A single by Jordan McNary and walks to Brittany Duncan and Whitney Arion set the stage for Kelsi Jones' 3 RBI double to deep center. Jones was left stranded on third...but the score was 7-0 UofL.

The Cards tacked on a run in the sixth...Brittany Sims singling to start the inning and scoring on a Duncan single.

Becker retired the Cats in order in the bottom of the sixth to end the contest.



Louisville (25-14) returns to action Saturday at noon. ACC Conference foe Boston College comes to town for a doubleheader and then a single game on Sunday.

The Louisville win breaks a four game losing streak to UK.

Becker was magnificent in the circle for the win for the Cards and it was good to see Louisville get out the bats for this one. Maybe a bit strange that the Cats didn't use Kelsey Nunley...who has had Louisville's number as of late...but it's still a nice win for the Cards and is the first UofL women's sports win over UK in the 2014-15 season since golf took down the Cats in the Battle of the Bluegrass challenge back in late February.

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WBB SLATED FOR GULF COAST SHOWCASE

The Louisville WBB squad will be playing in the 2015 Gulf Coast Showcase early on in the 2015-16 schedule. 

The three day event takes place in Estero, FL and will be held Nov 27-29 in Germain Arena. Estero is on the gulf coast side of Florida...north of Naples and south of Ft. Myers. 

Eight contestants will vye for the title that UConn won in 2014...Louisville, Dayton, LSU, Stanford, Maine, Marist, Missouri and Purdue. 

A good early test for a young Cardinal squad to play three games in three days. Nine of the players on Jeff Walz's squad are freshmen or sophomore. 

Out of the eight teams...four played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament (UofL, Dayton, Stanford and LSU) and three participated in the WNIT. 

paulie
xxxxx

Sunday Cardinal Couple - Spring Volleyball, Softball, and Track and Field

(Laptop Down!  I'm pinch-writing for Paulie as his laptop has decided to call it quits.  So now is the time to give him a hard time in the comments, while he'll have a very difficult time responding from his phone.  Paulie hopes to be back in the driver's seat tomorrow.  Updates to come.)

Softball Takes Down the Seminoles

Two of the three games of this weekend's series in Softball against Florida State are being televised by ESPNU.  The Cards fielding probably made ESPNU regret not covering last night's game.

The score, 1-0 might make you think this one was a pitcher's duel, and there was some pretty good pitching, with Maryssa Becker going the full game in the circle for The Cards, but the real story of this game was the fielding.  From the speedster Jordan McNary running down a fly ball in left field; to Allison Szydlowski catching the strike-out pitch and picking off the runner trying to steal second; to Brittany Sims with a sliding catch at second, popping up, turning, and getting the throw to first; to Tiarra Sanabria with a very athletic jump to catch a hard hit ball that was headed to the right field fence, and getting the fly out; to Whitney Arion catching a one hop, stepping on second, and getting the throw over to 1st for a double play to end the game; this was a game with some spectacular fielding.  Florida State had their share of plays that made you say, "Wow" as well.

The fielding combined with generally good pitching contributed to the combined 16 runners left on the bases during the game, 9 of them for FSU, and 7 for UofL, making it hard to get strings of hits together.  Louisville was helped out by a couple of errors by FSU at critical times, including one that got the only scorer of the game, Hailey Smith, on base.  A pair of fielder's choice plays advanced her to third, and a solid bouncer out to center by Brittany Sims brought her home.

The series continues this evening at 7 at Ulmer Stadium.  This one will be on ESPNU.  While all of the normal camera setup will be there, the commentators and play-by-play will be done out of Connecticut from the video feeds, so come out to Ulmer to get the full experience, or watch @CardCoupleRadio for my live tweeting to help fill in what they're not getting.

Volleyball Beats The Illini

Illinois came to town for a spring match in volleyball at Cardinal Arena on campus and ran into a rejuvenated Cardinal Wide-net squad.

In front of a crowd of around 700, many of which were club volleyballers in town for a huge Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) tournament at The Fairgrounds, the UofL Volleyball squad beat Illinois 3-1.  The 3:30 start time was picked to fit into the afternoon break between sessions of the JVA tournament.

During the regular season play in the fall, defense had been the real bugaboo for this Cards team with defensive coverage being lacking, and passing and digging being erratic and frequently off-target.  For the most part, those woes were gone, with the passing being crisp and on-target and no major openings being exploited by a good Illinois team, a team that ended the fall season ranked 11th.  Impressively, the defensive revival occurred with a short-handed defense on the Cards squad.  Courtney Robison, the graduating senior who played at DS was not playing with the team.  Gabbie Wiley, who came on in the late season and surprised nearly everyone with her excellent play in the Libero position after Roxanne McVey came down with mono, was also not present as she was back home attending a funeral.  That left the defense mostly consisting of Roxanne McVey playing Libero, and full rotation play from Maya McClendon, Janelle Jenkins, and Erin Fairs.  We did see some time at Defensive Specialist by Eleni Georgiafandis, who acquitted herself quite well, with several good digs and critical passes.

On offense, the freshmen middle hitting duo dynamos of Tess Clark and Maggie DeJong continued to show why they quickly became some of the favorite players of the Cards fans in the fall.  The Cards haven't had a great deal of blocking since Gwen Rucker and Lola Arslanbekova graduated a couple of years ago, but the middles, combined with the do-everything Katie George and the all-arounds mentioned above, put some ferocious blocks on a quite tall and powerful Illinois team.

Perhaps the most clutch performance of the afternoon came from the PA announcer, though.  Yours truly got pressed into service at the last minute to announce the game, and I must say, I may have found my new calling.  In all seriousness, though, while I think I did an acceptable job, Sean Moth's job is not in any sort of jeopardy.

The Volleyball team finishes spring play this afternoon at 3:30 against in-state rival Kentucky.  This one is again at Cardinal Arena, and admission is free.

Speaking of Gwen and Lola...

The pair have been playing professional volleyball on the same team for Targoviste in Romania.  They have reached the championships of their league.  They will have matches on the 16th, 17th and 25th for the championship series.

Shot Put Victory by One of Our Favorites

A quick congratulations to Emmonnie Henderson in winning the shot put at the ACC/Big Ten Track and Field Challenge at Cardinal Park with a throw of 51' 6 1/4".  E also placed second in the discus by hurling it 171' 4".

Also winning in T&F was Maggie Gilbertson in the High Jump, clearing 5' 5 3/4" 

JMcA/Worldwide/PA Announce Extraordinaire

SOFTBALL GETS THE SWEEP OVER VIRGINIA...SELECTION MONDAY TONIGHT...MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS DOWN VIRGINIA 7-5

Sometimes in order to get the job done, you have to finish it yourself. Sophomore Maryssa Becker stepped up yesterday to keep the Cards perfect in the ACC. 

Louisville Softball is now 6-0 in the ACC with a 7-5 win over the Virginia Cavaliers Sunday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium.

Becker delivered the go-ahead runs with a two-RBI, one out single in the bottom of the sixth inning and then took to the circle to retire the Wahoos in order in the top of the seventh to push Louisville to the three game sweep.



This was a see-saw affair...the Cards exchanging runs with the visitors early, tying the contest up twice and not taking the lead until the bottom of the fifth when Whitney Arion smashed a two-rum homer to go up 5-3. Louisville had trailed earlier 3-1 before a solo shot by Kayla Soles drew them within one. 

Louisville tied the contest in the fourth...Soles reaching on a single and pinch-runner Morgan Meyer replacing her and scoring with two outs. 

Virginia tied the contest back up in the top of the sixth but Louisville filled the bases in the bottom of the inning...setting up Becker's single to left that put UofL ahead to stay. 

Becker gets the win to go to 5-4 on the year. She started the contest but gave way to Madi Norman in the top of the third. After four innings from the freshman, Becker returned to the circle to seal the deal in the top of the seventh. 

Both Kelsi Jones and Kayla Soles went 3-3 for Louisville (13-7) who will travel to Columbus, OH next for a mid-week doubleheader against Ohio State. 

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WHERE YA GOING, LOUIE?



The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Show will air tonight on ESPN at 7 p.m. and Louisville will learn their fate for first and second round action and where they are seeded. 

Cardinal Arena on campus is the place to be if you want to watch the selections with the University of Louisville women's basketball team and coaches. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the girls will sign autographs until 6:45. 

Speculation abounds about where the Cards will be seeded and where they will travel to begin Jeff Walz's seventh tournament appearance in eight years as the Cards head coach. Louisville is projected anywhere from the last two seed to a high fourth seed according to the various pundits and bracketologist out there...the NCAA will use its own pretzel logic to determine where the Cards will start their path on the road to Tampa. Paulie has been saying a #4 seed. Let's hope that is an underestimate...a #2 is what they deserve. 

CARDINAL COUPLE will be in attendance and we'll gather the facts and a few interviews for Worldwide's Tuesday article.
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GO WEST...YOUNG MEN

Let's hope last night's NCAA Men's Bracket Selections aren't a foreshadowing of what is to come for the ladies. Pitino's bunch got a #4 seed and is being shipped off to play their first two in Seattle...opening against the Cal-Irvine Anteaters. Yep...T-Will's and Peyton's hometown. 

I wonder if the NCAA would let them step back out on the court for a few drives and dunks? 

paulie
xxxxx

Softball splits in battle of the Birds -- Tuesday Cardinal Couple

CARDS WIN FIRST, DROP SECOND IN EXTRA INNINGS TO ILLINOIS STATE

ALISON SZYDLOWSKI

It was a battle of the Birds Monday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium and the Louisville Cardinals flew high in the first game...gaining a 10-2, five inning win over the Illinois State Redbirds...but falling back to ground with a 4-3, eight inning loss in the second game. 

CARDS 10 - REDBIRDS 2

Illinois State took an early first inning lead on Louisville 1-0 but Whitney Arion produced a two-RBI single in the bottom of the first to give the Cards a 2-1 lead. 

After the Redbirds tied it in the top of the second, Cardinal Couple favorite Kayla Soles sent one over the fence with the bags full of Cardinals to make it 6-2 UofL. 

Louisville added to the lead in the 3rd inning...one of Worldwide's "Sid team" members...Alison Szydlowski reached on Ill. State error and two Cardinal scored on the play to set the scoreboard at 8-2.

"Szy" would strike again in the 5th inning...her two-RBI double bringing home the game-ending runs for a 10-2 Cardinal triumph. Maryssa Becker drew the start in the circle and allowed just three hits in the five innings of hurling...

ILLINOIS STATE 4 - LOUISVILLE 3

The teams were tied 1-1 early after "Szy" knocked home a single, but the Cards found themselves down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh.

Another "Sid"...Sidney Melton tied the contest with an RBI single, though, to force the extra inning.

The Redbirds got two runs on Shelby McCombs in the top of the eighth...the Cards battled back with a Brittany Sims single scoring one and putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Louisville could not get the tying run across the plate, however, and McCombs (3-1) takes the loss.

Next up, Louisville will travel to Oxford, OH to face Miami

for a 6:00 p.m. game. Louisville returns home for the weekend to host Virginia in an ACC Conference match up.
First pitch for that three-game series is at noon Saturday. 

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We are pleased to announce we will be featuring the CARDINAL COUPLE PICK'EM CHALLENGE again this year for the NCAA Women' Basketball Tournament. We'll have a $25 gift card for the winner and an absolutely fabulous Cardinal Couple T-Shirt for second place. 

Your objective is to pick as many winners as you can in the 63 games that will be played. You get (1) point for each winner. In case of a tie, the first tiebreaker will be if one of the entries had the national champion picked correctly. If there are more than one with that selection, we'll look at who had the most teams successfully selected for the Final Four. 


If a tie still exists, we'll go back to the Great Eight and check that for most teams correctly picked. If a tie still remains, we'll shred each and every entry and have Bill the Goat pick a winner by just randomly showing up at someone's house wearing a Cardinal Couple T-Shirt and a $25 Gift Certificate tied to one of his horns...

Entries can be left in the comments sections of articles after selection Monday or e-mailed to cardinalcouple@twc.com

Here's a popular format people use to enter...selecting the winners for each round. (No, this isn't an official entry):

ROUND 1

DRAKE, WICHITA STATE, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, MONTANA, TCU, HOUSTON, CONNECTICUT, FORDHAM, IDAHO, PRINCETON, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH ALABAMA, KENTUCKY, PURDUE, SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH FLORIDA, MIAMI, DREXEL, HARTFORD, CAL-STATE BAKERSFIELD, IOWA, NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, DAVIDSON, NOTRE DAME, DEPAUL, VILLANOVA, YALE

ROUND 2

WICHITA STATE, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, TCU, CONNECTICUT, IDAHO, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, SOUTH CAROLINA, MIAMI, HARTFORD, IOWA, VIRGINIA, NOTRE DAME, YALE

ROUND 3 

CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, MIAMI, VIRGINIA, NOTRE DAME

ROUND 4

 WASHINGTON, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA
or
ROUND 5

LOUISVILLE, VIRGINIA

WINNER

LOUISVILLE

Entries open after the Selection Monday show (really, Mr. Obvious?) and will close at the start of the first game. It's free, it's fun and you could win a major award plus gain the respect and nods of recognition from those you have always despised deep down inside in places you never talk about. Where there is no hope or tomorrow, just a grueling day-to-day survival of...

Jeez, where's that coming from? Have fun! Enter and win! 

PAULIE
XXXXX

Softball goes 1-1 in Dot Richardson, Radio Today -- Saturday Cardinal Couple

Softball Downs UMKC...Falls to Missouri

Louisville Softball has escaped the arctic blast that has enveloped these parts...travelling to Orlando, FL. and participating in the Dot Richardson National Collegiate Softball Invitational. 

In case you wondered, Dot Richardson was a key part of the United States national team that won the gold medal during the sport's Olympic debut in 1996 hitting the home run that won the title game. After her win at the Olympics, she continued with her career as an orthopedic surgeon. She's also currently the head coach at Liberty University. Born and raised in Orlando...she's considered one of the greatest softball players of all-time and was a superstar at UCLA.

Missouri 5 - Louisville 1

The Cards faced Missouri...who was opening their 2015

campaign...in the first game of the invitational and fell 5-1 to the Tigers. Mizzou jumped on Louisville and Shelby McCombs early in this one...with two runs in the first inning and three more in the second inning.

The Cards had an excellent opportunity to score in the bottom of the second with bases loaded and one out after Whitney Arion was hit by a pitch, Sydney Benz doubled and Kelsi Jones drew a walk...but a strikeout and groundout got the Tigers out of the inning 

Louisville got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Nicole Pufahl singled and came around to score on a Kelsi Jones double. Jones transferred to Louisville from Missouri last season...so a bit of poetic justice there in breaking up Missouri pitcher Toni Finucane's shut out. 

Jones had two of Louisville's six hits in the loss. Shelby McCombs takes the loss (2-1) going three innings. Fellow freshman Madi Norman finished it up for UofL...hurling the final four in shutout relief. 

Louisville 3 - UMKC 2

The Cards got a two-run homer from Arion and RBI single from Maryssa Becker in the top of the third against Missouri-Kansas City to take a 3-1 lead and held on to win the Cards second game.

Madi Norman (1-3) notched her first win of the season...coming in to relieve starter Becker, who allowed two runs in three innings. 

The Cards (3-4) face Florida A&M and Arkansas today. 

So far in this early part of the season...the Cards seem to do better against the hyphenated and initial schools...more of those, please... and less Washington's, Minnesota's and Arkansas's  

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Radio this morning at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM and

streaming live on the internet at crescenthillradio.com

Worldwide and I will wrestle a grizzly bear live on the air, race an ostrich, perform with Snoop Dogg, interview Barack Obama and witness a live wedding on the air in our Valentine's Day broadcast.

(OK...just kidding...none of that is going to happen)

We will discuss Louisville women's sports from a fan's perspective, though...and basketball, softball, lacrosse and other UofL women's sports are on the docket. 

"Turn that damn thing OFF !!!" 

We might even throw a Valentine's Day Quiz at Worldwide and see how he does.

We've got words from Walz after the win over Pitt and post-game player interviews...plus an exclusive with former Cardinal great Dez Byrd. 

It's radio that ends your Saturday morning each week. Join us, won't you?

paulie