Derby and Diamonds

Dampness is a Derby Downer

Well, the weather forecast has been threatening it for a while, but it's here, and moisture is the order of the day.  Alas, we Louisvillians always hope for better on this day when our city has the opportunity to put its best foot forward, but the weather is not helping us this year.  While the chance for rain does decrease as the day goes on, it only looks to drop away completely after the time that the Derby will be run.

Please don't ask me my Derby picks, I only barely know a couple of the names of the Derby horses running.  You can head over to www.paulsykes.com to see the picks of Paulie and his Handicapping Heroes crew.  I do get amusement out of Patch, a horse with only his right eye, breaking from the 20 gate where he won't, at least for a few seconds, be able to see any of the other horses on the track.  Can you imagine his thoughts?  "Wheeee!  100,000 people or more cheering for just me running out here alone and free!"

Softball Diamond

Pearsall and the Softball squad are spending the weekend at NC State, where, at least based on what I could see on the ACC Network Extra stream, the weather was sunny and warm enough for the coaches to be wearing shorts.  How about sending some of that weather our way Mr. and Mrs Wuf!

NC State is a bottom middle team in the ACC, but in the ACC, with the exception of FSU, nearly everyone is competitive with each other.  Boston College, in 2nd place, is 13-8 while Virginia Tech brings up the rear at 5-19.  That's not huge separation from #2 to #11.  From #2 to #8, the record spread is 13-8 to 9-15 (Virginia).  UofL sits in 4th currently, at 12-8.  All of this to say, wins are very valuable for seeding in the ACC tournament, while losses can quickly drop you out of good seedings.  8 teams make the ACC Tournament, so I believe, if my math is correct, with only 2 games left, the Cards are safe in making the tournament.

The Cards did send the Pack packing yesterday in a 7-5 win, featuring base clearers by Tiarra Sanabria, and Alison "Mike" Szydlowski.  It was a clean game, with only one error be scored for either team.  UofL got the offense going early, scoring 2 runs in each of the first 2 innings for a 4-0 lead.  Mike sent hers long, her first of the season, in the 2nd with Jenna Jordan on base after she got hit by a pitch.  UofL kept it going with a run in the 4, and another 2 in the 5th on Tiarra Sanabria's victory lap (her 4th of the season) with Megan Hensley already on base with a walk.  The Pack scored a pair in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th, putting the score 7-3 after 4 and a half innings.  UofL would score no more, but would hold off NC State who would only score two more, one in the bottom of the 5th, and one in the 7th.  Jenna Jordan also had a good game at the plate, including a rip of a double down the left field line to the fence for 2 hits in 2 at-bats.

The Cards and Pack will continue the series at 5pm today and plan on concluding the series Sunday at noon.

Baseball Diamond

The other stalwart of spring sports was in action, with Dan McDonnell's Baseball team in action up in South Bend against Notre Dame.  I didn't get to see any of this one, but Brendan McKay was on the mount and that's about all you need to know with Louisville Baseball to know what the outcome was.

For those interested in more specifics, McKay pitched a typical, for him, game, with a one hit shutout in his 8 innings.  Lincoln Henzman would finish off the game for the Cards.  There wasn't a great deal of offense for the Cards in this one, but it doesn't take much with a pitching staff like UofL has.  Devin Mann ripped a solo shot in the 5th, and Devin Hairston chalked up a two-out RBI single for the other run in the game in the 8th.

Louisville continues the series against ND with the 2-0 win under their belt.  They start today at 4:05, and will finish it out tomorrow at 1:05.

They'll be welcoming an always-dangerous Vanderbilt squad into Patterson on Tuesday with a 6pm start.

-- JMcA