Softball Beats CMU; Leon Makes First Team -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Softball Defeats CMU 9-1, Game 2 Canceled

The second to last day of the Bluegrass Challenge was a busy one, with Louisville taking the final two games of the afternoon/evening. The first of those two got underway at 2:22, as Louisville faced Central Michigan. The Cards scored early and often in that one, wrapping it up with a bow in just five innings.

Carmyn Greenwood and Easton Lotus started off hot, with a double, single, and steal to put runners on second and third with nobody out for Taylor Roby. Uncharacteristically, she was unable to score them as she popped out. Kendall Smith picked up the slack though, scoring both runners with a double. She was pinch-run for, but I think most people could have scored from second on Korbe Otis's triple. Ally Alexander singled her home and the Cards led 4-0.

After a 1-2-3 inning on defense, Louisville went back to work. They used two singles and a walk to load the bases, again giving Roby an RBI opportunity. She earned one this time, but not ideally, as a grounder to the third baseman set up an easy unassisted out at third, while one runner scored. Roby beat out the double-play. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third before a walk loaded the bases again. This time it was Otis at the plate, and she singled through the middle to score two. Louisville finished the second inning leading 7-0.

Central Michigan got their first hit in the top of the third, but it was quickly erased by a double-play. A strikeout ended the inning, and Taylor Roby had faced 10 batters and gotten nine outs (a runner reached via error in the first). The bottom half saw Louisville fail to put back-to-back runners on to open the inning for the first time, but that didn't slow them down. Greenwood doubled before Roby entered the box with two outs and one on. A passed ball moved Greenwood to third, and, despite her struggles, CMU elected to go ahead and walk Roby. Another walk to Smith loaded the bases for Otis again, who once again came through. She doubled to score Greenwood and Roby, but Smith was thrown out trying to make it three. Louisville led 9-0 and the mercy-rule clock was on.

Roby yielded the ball to Sam Booe to open the fourth inning, and she got a quick first out before allowing a walk. A liner gave the Cards two outs, but a wild pitch put the runner in scoring position and a double brought her home. Louisville still led 9-1, but any more runs would prevent the mercy. Booe induced a grounder to end the threat. In the bottom half, Louisville put runners on first and third for Carmyn Greenwood with two outs, but her hit was uncounted as Vanessa Miller was called for interference with the second baseman and was called out. 

Booe came back in for the top of the fifth, and an opportunity to close the game, and she did so with a strikeout, foulout, strikeout 1-2-3 inning. Louisville headed to the locker room for a brief break before preparing to play Ohio at 5. 

If the game with CMU had gone the distance, Louisville and Ohio were unlikely to even start their game. However, they were able to get started early before the snow began. After two innings, though, the game was called. Since it remained scoreless through two full, the game will not be rescheduled and is considered a no-contest. While the snow certainly wasn't enough to prevent play when it began, the threat of worsening conditions precipitated the cancelation, especially since Ohio was not scheduled for anymore games in Louisville this weekend and had to travel home.

The victory Friday afternoon was Louisville's fifth straight and moves them to 14-8, which is a good recovery after they seemed on an unarrestable slide last week. The Cards have one more game scheduled for this weekend, when they'll host Indiana at 11AM on Sunday. After that, it's Western Illinois on Wednesday, and then Louisville begins ACC play by hosting Georgia Tech.

Gabriela Leon Named First-Team All-American

In the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Gabriela Leon continued her successes in the pole vault, as she put up a sixth-place finish, which was good enough for a First-Team All-American performance. At 4.41 meters, the jump was the third highest in Leon's indoor career, so she may be a bit disappointed to not have a better performance, but it was still quite impressive. As just a red-shirt junior, she'll have another chance at an indoor championship next season. Louisville's spring outdoor season will begin next weekend at the Auburn Classic.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

After everyone scattered in the wind last weekend, we're all back this week. I know that makes it seem even more like we were dodging the basketball loss, but you'll just have to take my word for it. We'll have plenty of softball to talk about, as well as final predictions for the basketball team ahead of tomorrow's selection show. As always, you can check out the live stream of the show by going to the Cardinal Couple YouTube page and clicking on the live video. Jeff usually creates that about an hour before the show, which officially starts at 11 AM Eastern. If the live time doesn't work for you, there are plenty of playback options, so be sure to check out whichever is best for you!

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Until next time, Go Cards!

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