Softball prepares for UK after Providence sweep

Hard hitting Cardinal catcher Melissa Roth helped lead the Cards to a three game sweep over Big East foe Providence to improve the Cards record to 24-12. Roth was also named player of the week in the Big East for the second time this season.

The Cards got the broom out on the Friars softball squad over the weekend, winning 9-2, 10-1 and 3-0 over the weekend in Rhode Island. Louisville is 4-2 in Big East play so far this season. Roth leads the leads in batting percentage and has sent a dozen taters into the sandlot (my term for home runs) this year for Louisville.

The Cards face in state rival Kentucky on Wednesday, 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 for the game ($2 for team sales). Berm viewing is free. The Afternoon Underdogs...a local afternoon sports talk show that can be heard on CARDS RADIO 790 AM will do a live broadcast from Ulmer Stadium from 3-5 p.m. Make that Afternoon Underdog, unless they've hired Adam Neft's replacment by then.

Louisville is encouraging fans to wear red and participate in the "red out" for the event. (Like we'd be dressed in orange jumpsuits and silver toboggans?) The Cards defeated UK 3-0 back on March, 10th. in Lexington in the previous meeting between the two schools this year. CARDINAL COUPLE will be there, as we have been for most of the Lady Cards home softball action this year and we'll have a full report on the activities.

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Tuesday features the baseball in-state rivalry in Lexington between UK and UofL. If you can't make the trip, it will be televised locally on WMYO-TV and also on Cards radio.

Sean Moth does a great job on the Louisville baseball radio broadcasts...isn't it time we started getting the deserving Lady Cards softball team a little air time as well? I do a pretty passable Harry Carey imitation and will take the broadcast duties if no one else will.

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Tonight brings the end to the college women's basketball season when Connecticut plays Stanford in the championship game. It is the matchup most expected to see in the title decider and UConn won the regular season matchup between the two teams earlier this year, giving Stanford their only loss of the season.

The dynamic duo of Maya Moore and Tina Charles will get a strong test from Stanford's talented front line of Appel, Pederson and Oguandide but few expect the Huskies to lose. After last night's very exciting NCAA Men's Championship, this will bring to an end college hoops until October. Congrats to Duke for the title. Love or hate him, Coach K. had the hot team at the end of the year and they did an excellent defensive job on the Butler Bulldogs last night.

Recruiting still wages on, though and several top names are out there still uncommitted. Louisville is still competing for the services of Portland, Oregon standout duo guard Shoni Schimmel...rated #3 of the combo guards in this senior class.

Schimmel is a game changer, this year's version of college basketball's John Wall on the women's side and unlike Wall...she'll be around to help one lucky team for four years. She'll be an instant starter if she heads to the Ville to join a backcourt with Dez Byrd, Tia Gibbs, Rachel Story, Shelby Harper, Charmaine Tay, Polly Harrington and Becky Burke...it could give the Cards one of the deepest and skilled guard contingents in the nation.

Oregon, Stanford, Rutgers, UCLA, Colorado and Baylor are also rumored to be vying for her commit. She did attend a Lady Cards hoops game earlier this year while visiting the campus and reportedly was impressed with the Cardinal fan attendance the prospects of playing in the new SONJA downtown arena. (Hey, it isn't named yet so I'm naming it after my wife until I hear differently.)

Schimmel in the SONJA scorching the strings...I like the sound of that...

Written by Paul
4/6/10