Softball vs. FSU -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 CARDS DROP ONE, BATTLE FSU TO A TIE AT ULMER

Yesterday brought a rarity in the second game of Softball played between Louisville and visiting Florida State. The squads went 11 innings (four over the normal softball affair) and the score was still 0-0. FSU had set a "we got get out of here by..." time frame for departure from Louisville and when that was reached, the contest was ended and will go into the books as a tie. 

It was the second game of the afternoon between the two.

 I won't go into a lot of detail ont the first game, because the Cards got shellacked by FSU 9-0 and it was a five-inning, run-rule affair. The Noles blasted Louisville for four runs in the second and five more runs in the fourth inning, teeing off on Cardinal pitchers Jen Leonhardt, Gabby Holloway and Payton Hudson for 11 hits. 

I would imagine the Noles were a bit surly in that first game, having lost to Louisville in the second of two on Friday 5-1....and then having to sit around and stew and seethe all day Saturday. 

Game two is the story today, so let's get into it. Plenty of time to get this one in, right?  (with the shortened five-inning previous game).

Wrong answer, Chumley. 

The much-anticipated pitching duel between Cardinals ace starter Taylor Roby and FSU's Kathryn Sandercock was all it was hyped to be on our Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast Saturday. Through five innings, both were showing their mastery of the opponent's bats and the only real hint of any run production came in the fourth inning when Roby doubled with one-out, took third on a ground ball but wasn't able to touch home plate. 

After five innings, FSU Lonny Almeda made the decision to pull Sandercock from the circle and go with Caylan Arnold. The call was a understandable one, Sandercock had tossed three innings of shutout softball in game one and had 85 pitches under her belt for the day. And Arnold is another in the stash of excellent circle-dwellers on the FSU roster.  

Cardinal skipper Holly Aprile was not ready to rest Roby yet, though and the Mt. Washington, KY redshirt junior went seven innings, striking out five, and allowing six hits. Her teammates were backing her up with solid defense and Aprile, seeing that Roby's pitch coint was already up to 127, turned the ball over to Gabby Holloway after seven frames. 

The 11th and final inning provided the fireworks of the day. FSU began the inning with a single, the runner stole second and went to third on a Cardinal fielding error. No outs. Holloway got a out, finally and then Dani Morgan drilled a shot to shallow centerfield that looked like it might produce a run. 

Not gonna happen, though, as Cards centerfielder Celene Funke made a diving catch of the ball, scrambled to her feet and fired a perfect bullet to Cards catcher Cass Greenwood, who then tagged out the runner on third trying to get home. The *bang-bang* double play got the Cards out of the inning. 

Louisville added to the excitement in the bottom of the 11th. The Cards got a "Big Sis" Carmyn Greenwood single, Roby got intentionally walked by former UofL hurler Danielle Watson, who was in to relieve in the circle, and the Cards had two on with two outs. Watson, though, managed to get the next Cardinal out and preserve the shutout. 

This was one that seemingly could have gone on until this morning, but, FSU had a plane to catch and it ended as a tie. 

It was the first game to end in a tie in the history of Louisville Softball, which began in the year 2000. 

Before the game, Cardinal Softball senior student-athletes Paige and Riley Schindler, Maddy Newman, Jen Leonhardt, Celen Funke and 2020 grad Caitlin Ferguson were honored for their efforts and dedication to the school and program. 

The Cards roll back into action Derby Day (May 1st) but they'll be far away from the madness on Central Avenue, playing the Boston College Eagles in a double header in Beantown 

(PHOTOS FROM JARED ANDERSON) 

"Gotta run to the Airport, you say? 
Hey! Follow me!!" 

"Or me !!" 

Have a marvelous Monday!

paulie