Softball Walks Off -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Softball Beats Virginia in Game 1

In the opening game of Louisville softball's Senior Weekend, the Cards showed that they still have some fight as they try to finish the season with some momentum and potentially make enough noise in the ACC tournament to find an NCAA bid. A win last weekend would have gone a long way, but they came up just short on all three occasions against the Hokies. After a sweep against Syracuse and then being swept by Virginia Tech, the Cards found themselves two games below .500 in conference, but a big weekend against Virginia can put them in a position to finish .500 with a split against Notre Dame in the final series of the regular season next week.

All of those hopes and dreams depend on winning games this weekend, which Louisville did in dramatic fashion yesterday. The first inning started off pedestrian enough, with a pair of groundouts induced by Taylor Roby, but back-to-back singles gave UVA a chance at an opening frame run. Fortunately, Roby was able to get a popout to end the inning. Once the teams changed sides, Carmyn Greenwood worked a full-count walk to get on base as the leadoff. Korbe Otis made an out that I can't quite parse from the box score: "Otis grounded out to c unassisted (0-2)". I'm not sure if she bunted on two strikes or what, but I haven't seen a player ground out to the catcher and get tagged out and a popout would usually be noted. 

At any rate, Greenwood stole second with one out, and an errant throw sent her to third, putting the Cards in prime position. That would be where her trek around the bases would end, though, as Roby struck out and the passed ball wasn't enough to score the run, and Kendall Smith popped a foul ball to first base. Roby hasn't been missing many bats lately, and that came to pass again yesterday, as she finished the complete game without striking out any Cavaliers. Putting balls in play can be very beneficial for an offense, as Virginia showed in the second inning. A walk to open the inning was erased by a fielder's choice, but a runner remained at first. A slow grounder to third gave the Cards two outs, but they couldn't make the lead play at second. With a runner on second and two outs, a single to left seemed innocuous at first, but Greenwood booted it in the outfield and both runners advanced. With a run in hand, the next batter sent a single up the middle to score a speedy runner from second, and Louisville trailed 2-0. A flyout ended the inning.

The Cards didn't bite back immediately, as three fly/pop outs were split by a Vanessa Miller single to coast through the second quickly. Roby was much more efficient in the third inning. Despite still getting the ball in play, Virginia was able to only eke out a pair of groundouts and a popout. Jenna Servi opened the bottom of the third with a triple, and Greenwood made up for her error in the previous inning with a first pitch RBI single. After Otis flew out and Roby lined out, it looked like the Cards would only get one back, but Kendall Smith came up with her first big hit of the evening, a double that brought Greenwood around to tie it. Not content with the tie, Hannah File doubled as well and the Cards led 3-2 after a flyout ended the inning. 

Another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth brought Louisville back to the plate and they were handed a golden opportunity to extend their lead. Vanessa Miller reached on an error to open the inning, and Maddi Grant did the same, with both players advancing an extra base. With runners on second and third and no outs, Louisville promptly followed with two pop outs and a groundout to end the inning. That missed opportunity looked like it would immediately haunt the Cards as Virginia regained the lead in the fifth. A walk to open the inning seemed like it would be dealt with after two quick outs, but a steal and another walk set up a two-RBI triple with two outs. Down 4-3, the Cards really would have liked to score when given the chance.

The next four half innings seemed as though both teams had finally settled in, and Louisville's chances were dwindling. They sent seven batters to the plate and saw six of them sit down immediately, as a sacrifice bunt in the sixth didn't help to bring the tying run around. Virginia put a few runners on base, but didn't threaten as much as in previous innings, and Louisville was set up for one last chance in the bottom of the seventh. With the top of the order up, the Cards had the best chance they were going to get, and the leadoff group came through. Greenwood opened with a single and Otis followed with a four-pitch walk. Virginia changed pitchers with the tying run at second, and the new entrant induced a groundout from Taylor Roby. Though that gave them one out, it was a productive out, as it moved both runners up. Kendall Smith took advantage and her second big hit of the night won the game, as a single to left scored both runners.

Louisville will get a chance to move to .500 in conference this afternoon in game two of the series. The game will get underway at 4PM and is available to watch on ACCN if you don't want to get out into the beautiful afternoon at Ulmer. After yesterday's game, Jared got the opportunity to chat with the game winner. Check out the interview with Kendall Smith below. 

Kendall Smith Post-Game

(PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON)

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour PODCAST

Another place to hear the interview should be today's Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast. I'm out this week, but the rest of the crew should bring a great show. As we wrap up the spring seasons, we are approaching the summer slump, but there's always something for us to ramble on about. 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! Paulie, Jeff, Jared and Daryl on board today for the podcast/ 

Cardinal Couple YouTube: Link

Anchor (podcast host): Link

Apple Podcasts: Link

Breaker: Link

Google Podcasts: Link

Overcast (free account required): Link

Pocket Casts (free account and app required): Link

RadioPublic: Link

Spotify: Link

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

Photos in today's article by Jared Anderson. You'll notice many of the players wearing purple bows and eye black. This is in honor and remembrance of the JMU softball player who lost her life recently. Her number is also honored in the batter's box this weekend. Hannah File transferred to Louisville from JMU.

Softball closes home schedule vs Virginia; FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 FRIDAYS WITH DARYL

 

Shout out to the weekend and the Cardinal Couple gang for stepping in for me these past few weeks.   Baseball and Summer Camp season got me like D:   *a little lotta bit* stressed making sure things runs smoothly around Louisville.  

But I do have a lot to look forward to and sometimes spontaneous decisions make the best ones.  

Funny story,  decided on some Happy Hour sushi on Bardstown Rd this past weekend and who do I cross paths with at the entrance?!  None other than Cardinal forever, Jazmine Jones!  The best part was she recognized me as well and gave me a hug in front of my friends.  What a gem!  I love seeing Cards come home and enjoy the town.  I told her that we would have to get up to Indy to see her play again, and she said 'Please do!' 

I've been on a mission to up my boyfriend's WNBA jersey collection in recent years.  He prefers to wear jerseys to festivals and when he plays shows (he plays the drums in a local band) So I think a trip to Indy is in the works for mid-summer.  The Chicago Sky plays at the Fever June 19th and July 7th.  

    

Look at these stars!!  I've got my eye on that Kianna Smith LA Sparks jersey too.  Y'all know I'm a sucker for purple and gold! 

SOFTBALL

Louisville vs Virginia

Friday 6 p.m. 

Ulmer Stadium or ACCNX

Series History: Louisville leads 15-3
Last Meeting: Feb. 20-21, 2021 - Louisville defeated Virginia 5-4 in Durham, N.C. and 4-0 in Raleigh, N.C. during the ACC Pod Weekend.

The Cardinals bring a 24-20 overall record after falling in all three games at No. 3/3 Virginia Tech last weekend.  Louisville also carries an 8-10 mark in ACC play and is currently eighth in league standings. Louisville is tied for the ACC lead and stands 11th in the nation with 22 double plays turned.

Virginia is 26-21, 12-9 (.571) in the conference coming off a sweep of Pittsburgh (last in the ACC 2-17) as well as 3 top-ranked series in a row. Virginia is second in the ACC in fielding percentage (.976) and 14th nationally.  Leah Boggs leads the team with a .292 batting average and Tori Gilbert has belted out a team-best 11 home runs. Sarah Coon and Katie Goldberg have produced 28 RBIs apiece.  Mikayla Houge (9-4) has carried the bulk of the pitching duties and holds a 3.22 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 87.0 innings. Aly Rayle leads the team with 55Ks in 67.1 innings of work. Madison Harris’s six saves is top in the ACC this season and ranks second nationally.

KENNY KLEIN RETIRING

The announcement came down yesterday about Louisville's head SID announcing a retirement date. No big dissertation or commentary on that. He did his job for 40+ years in athletics, is well respected by his peers and fellow SID's and I hope he enjoys his retirement. 

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast -- We are on schedule for an 11 a.m. start time Saturday.  Case will be covering the Saturday A.M. write-up duties but wont be home to jump on air but the four of us should be on to talk some Cardinal coverage. 

Paulie was kind of worried I wouldn't have anything to talk about here this morning so maybe I'll end by quizzing our readers on what they think Jaz Jones ordered at the hibachi grill on Saturday's show. LOL

As Always, Go Cards
~Daryl 

Lax Bows Out of ACC Tournament -- Student-Athlete Mental Health -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Lacrosse Bows Out of ACC Tournament

A season full of 'what ifs' came to a frustrating close yesterday for Louisville lacrosse. The Cards fell in the opening round of the ACC Tournament to Pitt, 13-10.

After allowing the Panthers to score the first two goals of the match, Nicole Perroni went on a 3-0 run by herself to give the Cards a one-goal advantage before Pitt evened the score to close out the first quarter.

The second quarter was rough. Louisville's offense failed to score the enter period while the defense struggled and allowed four goals.

A trio of Cards found the back of the net in the third quarter while only allowing two goals to cut their deficit to 9-6.

A Perroni goal cut the score to 10-7 and a Caroline Blalock score made it 11-8, but Louisville wouldn't come within three until the final couple of minutes and ran out of time for a rally.

Perroni recorded a career-high five goals on the day. Caroline Blalock concluded her collegiate career with two goals. Allegra Catalano also scored two goals and Kylea Dobson added one.

J Pleck saw action in goal the entire match. She recorded seven saves to go along with 13 goals allowed.

For Louisville, a 7-11 season fell short of expectations. The Cards had four losses come by a one-goal deficit and lost a match by three goals and four goals each.

Scott Teeter's squad loses both Sarah Blalock and Caroline Blalock to graduation. Paige Richbourg, Hannah Morris, and Kirsten Parker are all listed as seniors, but all three still have the COVID-19 year of eligibility if they choose to elect to come back.

Student-Athlete Mental Health

One of the least talked about aspects of the life of a student-athlete is probably the darkest part- mental health. In the last few days, two schools have had to break the news of the loss of one of their student-athletes.

JMU softball player Lauren Bernett passed away a day after being named Conference Player of the Week. Wisconsin track star Sarah Schulze passed away on April 13. Both deaths were named as suicide for the cause of death.

Both deaths join a pair of other suicides since the beginning of March. Stanford women's soccer goalkeeper Katie Meyer passed away March 1. SUNY Binghamton University men's lacrosse goalie Robert Martin passed away on April 1.

Over the course of nine years from 2003-2012, the NCAA held a study through several doctors to follow the suicide rate among student-athletes. The original intent was to see if certain genders or sports had a higher suicide rate.

In the study, over 3,773,309 individual student-athletes were included. Of that, there were 477 deaths with 35 labeled as suicide. As anticipated, accidents and physical health related issues made up a majority of the 477 deaths.

The conclusion from the study was that the suicide rate in NCAA student-athletes was lower than that of a normal college student or the general public.

You can read a full released report of that study using this link - https://thecovidblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Athlete-suicide-study.pdf.

However, things change over time. And things have gotten worse. Another study by the NCAA early in the COVID-19 pandemic saw numbers get worse. One of the biggest results of the study was that the rates of reported mental health concerns was 1.5-2.0 times higher than that of pre-COVID-19 studies. As opposed to previous student, women athletes had more mental health concerns than men's athletes.

You can read a detailed report of that study using this link - https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/other/2020/2021RES_NCAA-SA-Well-BeingSurveyPPT.pdf.

I know this isn't joyful or exciting, but it's something that needs to be addressed and talked about much more around the country. Student-athletes have to balance daily life, school, and sports, which for a young person still developing in their early career, can be overwhelming and draining. The increased pressure with expectations of performance on the field/court has only added fuel to the fire.

I'm not expert on the topic, but seeing signs of mental health related issues even of student-athletes at UofL is concerning.

Some might remember the passing of UofL cheerleader Dani Cogswell back during the summer of 2014. Her cause of death was due to a drug overdose with multiple drugs found in her system. Some of those drugs, although illegal, were considered to help with mental health issues such as anxiety.

There's many steps that need to be taken by both the NCAA and each school to help address the issue. One of those is providing resources to the student-athletes.

On A Lighter Note

To end on a lighter note, we will release the answer to the two women student-athletes that I had the pleasure of working with earlier this week. There were some great guesses but no one guessed correctly.

In the white shirt is Abby Baldridge of women's soccer. In the grey shirt is Paige Morningstar of volleyball. The two are roommates and have become good friends in their first year at Louisville. They wanted to get some photos together and I was happy to oblige.

One of the cool things about working with student-athletes outside of their sport is getting a chance to know them better and get their personalities. They are able to showcase their sense of fashion and relax more with it being a low pressure situation.

Both young women were a blast to work with!

Happy Thursday and Go Cards!

Jared

LAX FACES PITT in ACC TOURNAMENT OPENER -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 CARDS AND PANTHERS KICK OFF ACC W.LAX TOURNAMENT

And, so, it's come down to Tournament time for Louisville Lacrosse.  The second season. The win or go home scenario. 

The Cards will face Pittsburgh at 2 p.m. at Notre Dame. It's viewable on the ACC Network. It's the #8 seed vs. #9 seed play-in-game. The winner gets UNC (#1 seed) on Friday at noon. The Cards (the #9 seed) go into the contest at 7-10 overall and 1-7 in conference play. The Panthers finished with a 8-9 record and 1-7 in the league. 

A history between the two? Well, no, not much of one.  It's Pitt's first year of competition, The Panthers did defeat Louisville during conference play.. The match, held in Pittsburgh in their Highmark Stadium went to the Panthers 17-10. 

A nice stadium, no doubt, that holds about 5,000 and is about two miles south of Heinz Stadium. On the south bank of the Monongahela River. Louisville had a rough second half in that previous meeting, scoring only four times, and losing despite three goals from Hannah Morris. 

So, what say you, Scott Teeter, about the matchup?

"We've got to battle. It's a short turnaround for us and a bit of a revenge tour. I think it's going to be a good battle between two good teams. We were unhappy with our consistency the first time we played them, so we just need to bring it for 60 minutes and give it everything we've got."

The Cards probably need to go on a four-game win streak in the ACC Tournament to make the ACC Tournament, although...if they can get by Pitt, UNC and either Duke or Notre Dame -- I'd think they might deserve at least a look for NCAA tournament consideration. The Cards were able to put a four-game win streak together early in the schedule against Marquette, Central Michigan, Virginia Tech and Butler -- but all four of those were in the friendly confines of the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium. 

The Cards will look for big scoring efforts from Morris, All-ACC Second Team selection Caroline Blalock, Nicole Perroni and a strong net presence from our goalkeepers J.Pleck and Sara Addeche

Let's hope our Cards can start a new win streak today. At this time of the year, you worry about one game at a game, because ii's either a win or your season is over. We'll worry about UNC once we're safely past Pitt. 

Here's UofL's "hype" video for the tournament: 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1519111584823627776

WHO AM I?

Jared had a little fun with the Cardinal Couple crew Tuesday when he texted us a picture from a photo-shoot and asked if we could identify the people in the photo. Our Jeff McAdams eventually made the correct selections. I was nowhere close with my guess.. Let's see how you do, leave your guess in the comments section if you want and Jared will have the answer for you tomorrow in his column. 

Jared will personally drive the first correct entry to a place that serves breakfast and spring for a cup of coffee and a three-hour review of the photos he's taken in 2022. The catch is, he'll use your car and you're responsible for any tip...and the facility must offer a "bottomless" cup of coffee...

Have a wonderful Wednesday! 

paulie

Playoffs for Spring Sports? -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Playoffs for Spring Sports?

Remember the famous Jim Mora quote? "Don't talk about playoffs. You kidding me? Playoffs?" Well, for many of our spring sports, it's beginning to feel that way.

Women's Tennis

An 8-15 overall record, 0-14 conference record, and a first round exit in the ACC Tournament guarantees that the season is done for Louisville. Unfortunately for Louisville, the last time the Cards finished a season with a winning record was the shortened 2019-2020 COVID-19 season, when the Cards finished 8-6 and 0-4 in ACC play. Prior to that was the 2016-2017 season, where a 15-13 season was not enough to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

For Mark Beckham's squad, they'll have an early start to start prepping for a strong 2022-2023 season. With several strong players on the squad, the Cards should be a tough team for any opponent next year.

Lacrosse

The heartbreaker loss to Notre Dame over the weekend pretty much secured Louisville's spot on the couch for the NCAA Tournament this year. With four losses by one goal this season, things could've been drastically different with just a little bit of luck. Unfortunately, Lady Luck was rather unkind to the Cards, who continue to rebuild.

There is one possible saving grace for Scott Teeter's squad- the ACC Tournament. Like with many collegiate sports, winning your conference tournament results in an automatic bid to the "Big Dance". As the 9-seed and part of the play-in game, the Cards will need to win four games to earn the automatic qualifier bid. .If they get by Pittsburgh on Wednesday, North Carolina is next

Minus just a couple losses in conference play, Louisville was in every game going into the fourth quarter so it is still possible to see Louisville hold an ACC trophy in a couple weeks.

Softball

Holly Aprile's team is still in the regular season. A 24-20 record isn't ideal, but with seven regular season games remaining and the ACC Tournament to follow suit, Louisville still has a good chance to find themselves dancing.

With six losses on the year by two runs or less, the Cards are looking for a bit more consistency both on offense and in the circle. With a now-limited pitching staff, the offense will need to step it up in order to finish the season strong.

Louisville's rpi of 39 isn't horrible, but will need to get that up a few spots in order to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. Virginia is currently fifth in the ACC so the Cards need to plan for at least two wins this coming weekend. The weekday game at UIC is a must-win. A trip to a ranked Notre Dame team closes out the season, but Louisville really needs to come out with a series win in South Bend too.

As we've seen time and time again with sports, anything is possible, and you should never give up on the Cardiac Cards in any sport. Let's hope to throw our dancing shoes on in a few weeks.

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared

Softball Falls to VT 7-4 -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 HOKIES SWEEP SERIES AGAINST LOUISVILLE

Playing the #3 team in DI Softball can be an arduous task and Louisville fought bravely against those #3 Virginia Tech Hokies...jumping to a 4-3 lead in the top of the third before eventually falling 7-4.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third, Louisville went on the offensive and started the inning with a Carmyn Greenwood round-tripper (HER 13TH OF THE SEASON). Korbe Otis reached on an error and Taylor Roby drew a walk to give the Cards two on for Kendall Smith who got Otis home on a ground out. After Dylan Cravens reached on a single, she and Roby both scored on a Hokie fielding miscue. 

The lead was short-lived, though. After Roby gave way to Taja Felder in the circle, Tech tied it back up in the bottom of the fourth. 

The Hokies added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-4. 

The Cards would threaten in the sixth and seventh but could not score again. 

Louisville is now 24-20 on the season and 8-10 in ACC play. That's goof for eighth place in the league. 

The Cards return home for a weekend series next, hosting Virginia. (26-21, 12-9).. The Cavs are fifth in the ACC standings. 

The Cards might not be pennant contenders this season but they are getting some valuable "in circle" experience for pitchers Sam Booe, Payton Hudson and Felder.  With projected starter Gabby Holloway out for the season (bicep), and Chardonnay Harris no longer on the squad... it's good to still have a choice of several arms at the ready to spell Roby. 

paulie

 

Sunday Cardinal Couple

Team Sports Tumble

It's been a bit of a rough weekend for the spring team sports that we follow closely here on Cardinal Couple.

Softball

The Cards have been in Blacksburg, VA all weekend in a three game series with Virginia Tech.  After the heartbreaker Friday evening, offense was hard to find in Saturday's game, in either dugout.  Virginia Tech managed to get a two run single in the third inning after a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded up the bases.  They also got a single and a walk with two outs in the fourth before a double down the left field line would score a third.  That would be the final score, 3-0.

Carmyn Greenwood, Vanessa Miller, and Korbe
Otis call an outfielder strategy session.
(Ryan Greenwood with the away game pic assist)

A whopping seven hits combined in the game, about evenly split with Kendall Smith, and Jenna Servi getting hits, and Korbe Otis getting a double, with Virginia Tech collecting the other for hits.  Servi's hit did set up Louisville's best chance at scoring, advancing Ally Alexander after she drew a walk, but three straight pop ups got VT out of the slight jam.

The Cardinals will be looking at their final chance of an upset of the number three team in the country with an ACC Network televised affair starting at noon.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse played Notre Dame in Cardinal Stadium for senior day on ACC Network.  As is the case with so many competitions between Notre Dame and UofL, it looked like this one might go to overtime, but the Irish pulled out the win in the end, 15-14.

Hannah Morris celebrating one of her
trio of goals.

Nicole Perroni got a quick start, scoring 27 seconds into the affair, but Notre Dame would settle in and get a pair to lead relatively late in the first quarter.  Hannah Morris would get the equalizer with about five minutes left in the quarter, and then Perroni would put the Cards back on top with about two and a half left.

Then...well...let's put the recorded timings up.  With 57 seconds left, Paige Richbourg gets on the board; 27 seconds later with 30 seconds on the clock Caroline Blalock gets started; and she would find the net again with five second left on the clock.

Three scores in under a minute?  Yes, please.  If you extend that into the second quarter, Hannah Morris buries one in the net just 59 seconds in, so four scores in under two minutes, and six in under six minutes.

Which goal of Caroline Blalock's five is this?

So that was a fun stretch.

Notre Dame did end the Cardinal's run just over 30 seconds later, but the pace of scoring did return to a more normal level after that.  Richbourg scored another, Kylea Dobson got her first, and Perroni completed her hat trick in the first half.

Notre Dame would have a couple of smaller runs, including a three goal run the extended across half with a pair in the final three and a half minutes and the third in the opening minute of the third quarter.  The other run was a four goal stretch in roughly the latter half of the third quarter.

The Cards and Irish traded two goals apiece in the fourth with Notre Dame climbing back on top with just over two and a half minutes left to end it.

Sara Addeche and J Pleck

In addition to Perroni's aforementioned trio, Caroline Blalock scored five, and Hannah Morris also ended up with a hat trick with a third quarter goal.

The goalkeepers on both ends of the pitch did great work in this one.  Bridget Deehan was an absolute wall for Notre Dame, stopping 16, with J Pleck collecting 10 for the Cards.

Next up for Louisville Lacrosse is the ACC tournament.  The Cards will play in the first game with Pitt as the nine seed.  Pitt and UofL are tied in conference record at 1-7, but Pitt does get the higher seed officially as their win was against UofL, giving them the tie breaker.  As essentially a play-in game, the seeding doesn't really make any difference.  The game will be Wed, the 27th at 2pm.  The winner will play top seed North Carolina on Friday at noon.  All of the tournament games will be televised on the ACC Network.

Thunder Over Louisville

Thanks to Ryan Greenwood for sending some pictures of UofL from Softball in Blacksburg.

As usual, though, our own Jared was out and about getting some great shots, including some planes of Thunder Over Louisville which we wanted to share.

Fifi, one of two still flying World War II era
B-29 Superfortresses

Fifi, on approach to land back at the airport.

Vietnam era F-100 Super Sabre.

World War II era B-24 Liberator

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

A trio on the call yesterday.  Case, Paulie, and myself, talked about coaching moves and transfers in basketball, as well as active events for softball, lacrosse, and a touch of track and field.

Check it out at your favorite podcast directory, or at its home at anchor.fm.

https://anchor.fm/cardinal-couple/episodes/Basketball-Coaching-News-and-Spring-Sports-e1hig2d

Softball Falls at VT; Lacrosse on Thunder -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Softball Loses Series Opener 4-3

Louisville softball is in Blacksburg this weekend taking on one of their highest-ranked opponents of the season, and they opened the weekend with a very strong performance. Though they may have missed out on their biggest opportunity to steal a win from the #3 Hokies, Louisville showed great determination and held on tight for the entire game. 

It was an inauspicious start for the Cards, who went 3-up, 3-down in the top half of the inning on just 9 pitches (pop-out and 2K, nearly an immaculate inning), but Roby rewarded them with three groundouts in the bottom half. Unfortunately, those three groundouts were precluded by a leadoff single and a walk, and the Hokies were able to make use of the productive outs to score a run. 

After another 1-2-3 offensive inning, Roby was on the ropes again after a 1-out double put two runners in scoring position. Fortunately, Virginia Tech didn't have a speedster on the paths, as a double will frequently score a runner from first in softball, and the Cards were able to make a play at the plate on the ensuing grounder. Another groundout ended the inning, and Louisville held onto a tenuous 1-0 deficit. 

That deficit was erased in the top of the third as Vanessa Miller opened the inning with a homer to straightaway center. After Ally Alexander struck out, Jenna Servi attempted to continue the good vibes with a triple, but the top of the order was unable to bring her in, as Carmyn Greenwood kept her bat on her shoulder to watch a strikeout and Korbe Otis flew out to center. Nevertheless, Louisville had tied the game. In the bottom half, Roby continued to work the defense and keep the ball out of the air. Though the pitch count was still climbing, the grounders also helped to keep Roby from being in the circle for too long, as she got out of the third with a groundout, single, and GIDP and moved her pitch count to 48 after three innings. That's still a pretty big number, but considering it's almost half the game and the softball pitch count can climb much higher without doing damage than baseball, it's not too bad. Comparatively, VT's Keely Rochard had 38 pitches through three innings, and she had given up just two hits compared to the four hits and a walk from Roby.

The top of the fourth didn't see Louisville continue their momentum, though, as a HBP put Kendall Smith on base with one out, but she stood out there for only four pitches while Louisville followed the HBP with a three-pitch strikeout and a first pitch popout. The bottom of the inning saw Virginia Tech ready to get their lead back. An eight-pitch walk opened the frame, and a steal following a flyout put the runner in scoring position. Putting runners in scoring position is a good way to win games, as a single brought the runner home. Smelling blood in the water, VT went for a pinch-runner with one out, but the aggressive attempt backfired when Louisville completed a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double-play, with Kendall Smith firing the ball to Ally Alexander for the tag. In those situations, we say thank you to the batter for watching the third strike and not slowing down the catcher with a swing.

With the lead once more, Rochard was inspired, and she struck out the side to show it. It wasn't easy, though, as all three batters worked the count. What could have theoretically been done in nine pitches took Rochard 22, with Alexander working an 11-pitch at bat. While we can't see whether she swung at pitches out of the zone in the at bat (she almost certainly did), she didn't watch any in the zone either. She took three balls and fouled off six pitches, including four money pitches on the full count. Unfortunately, the second of her two whiffs in the at bat was the third strike, but it was an impressive plate appearance. 

Once again, putting runners in scoring position paid off. The Hokies opened the inning with a double, and the runner advanced to third on a flyout. A walk gave the Cards a double-play opportunity, but the unusual FBFBFBB pitch sequence shows it wasn't intentional. It's unusual because she made contact with every pitch she swung at, but every pitch she didn't was a ball. You don't see that every day. Anyway, the runner on third actually didn't hurt Louisville, as a charging Jenna Servi snuffed out the suicide squeeze bunt attempt and Louisville found themselves in a much more advantageous position with runners on first and second but two outs. Unfortunately, a single up the middle was more damaging than the name suggests, as the runners advanced two bases and VT's lead extended by a run. A foul-out ended the inning with the Hokies holding a (now) 3-1 lead.

The top of the order finally came alive in the sixth, with Greenwood and Otis opening the inning with back-to-back doubles to recoup a run, but Rochard tightened the belt again, striking out the next three batters to strand Otis at second and to hold on to the lead. A single opened the bottom half of the inning, and a pinch-hit double scored the run to continue the seesaw of the 1-2 run advantage. Roby managed to return the favor from the top half and strand the runner at second but Louisville was down to their last scheduled plate appearance and trailed by two runs. With the bottom third of the order up, Louisville would usually not like their chances, but the bottom third had just as many hits as the top third in this one going into the seventh so anything could happen.

The Cards fears looked to be realized when they opened the inning with a pair of popups to dig a major hole. Down to their last out and needing two runs, the Cards dug in. Refusing Rochard the time to get settled in, Alexander and Servi were both first pitch swinging, each grabbing a single. Greenwood watched a pair of balls, presumably Rochard reacting and trying to get an easy out with an aggressive swing, before sending the third pitch down the left field line. Unfortunately for the Cards, the left fielder had it well defended, and, while Alexander scored, Servi could only advance to second. That set up Korbe Otis, who got down to her final strike before also sending a ball down to left field. Again, it was well defended, and Jenna Servi was tagged out at the plate trying to score the tying run. Louisville fell 4-3. 

It was a valiant effort, and a different outcome at the plate would have brought Roby up with Greenwood representing the go-ahead run at second. I don't blame the Cards for sending Servi, as  even though bringing Roby in with the bases loaded usually sounds quite threatening, but Rochard had not been particularly rattled on the day. That was especially true for Roby, who was 0-3 with a pair of strikeouts to that point. We'll never know what might have happened with Roby at the plate and the tying run at third, as VT surely wouldn't have intentionally walked that run in, but aggressiveness very often pays off. 

The Cards will get another shot today, with game two of the series getting underway at 2PM. Today's game will be on ACCNX, with tomorrow's noon finale getting the ACCN treatment. Louisville will look to stay at or above .500 in conference this weekend, which they can do if they can manage a split in these two games.

Lacrosse Hosts Notre Dame

Today is Senior Day for the Louisville lacrosse team, and they'll host the Fighting Irish from South Bend in Cardinal Stadium. The game starts at noon and the Senior Day festivities will happen before the opening draw. The Thunder Over Louisville Air Show isn't set to begin until 3PM, so you'd have plenty of time to get down to the Waterfront after the match if you wanted to turn out. Notably, the only way to access Cardinal Stadium for the game will be via Gate 2 on the Floyd Street side of the stadium, so keep that in mind as you make your way over.

Honored today will be seven players, a student assistant coach, and a manager. The players include the Blalock sisters, who are tied for the most games played in program history at 76. Caroline has been a captain throughout her time on the team, while Sarah holds a 55-54 advantage in games started. The two will be greatly missed. Also suiting up in Louisville for the last time are Hannah Morris and Paige Richbourg. Hannah was the 11th player to score 100 career goals for the Cards and Paige ranks 9th in program history in draw controls. Seniors Kirsten Parker and Abby Roskovich and RS Junior Kristen Pezzullo will also be honored, as will Kelly Coughlan and Courtney Jackson, the aforementioned coach and manager.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

After a much needed week off last week, I'll be back this week for the show, and we'll try to avoid critical recording failures. Such are the joys of internet broadcasting. This weeks show will cover the week that was in Louisville Women's Athletics, both on and off the field. There will be three of us to cover it, a throwback to the basement days on the hill. 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!

Cardinal Couple YouTube: Link

Anchor (podcast host): Link

Apple Podcasts: Link

Breaker: Link

Google Podcasts: Link

Overcast (free account required): Link

Pocket Casts (free account and app required): Link

RadioPublic: Link

Spotify: Link

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

WBB adds Associate Coach Shay Robinson -- Pineda elevated to Associate Coach -- Softball at Virginia Tech -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 (Paulie filling in for Daryl today) 

WELCOME SHAY ROBINSON TO CARDS WBB

Louisville women's basketball announced Thursday that Shay Robinson has joined the Cardinals as an associate coach.  Williams comes to Louisville from Mississippi, where he was an associate coach for the Rebels. 

Louisville WBB Head Coach Jeff Walz on Williams:

"Shay comes to us highly recommended, with an extensive and versatile background. Everywhere he's been, he's been successful. Most importantly, he cares about the growth and development of the players -- on and off the court. Shay is an Air Force veteran, a skilled player development coach and a proven recruiter. He is a great compliment to our staff and we are excited to welcome him to the 'Ville'." 

Shay was at Ole Miss two years and prior to that, spent six years at Maryland as an assistant. He's a proven recruiter and we're excited to see what he can do on the Cardinals staff.  

JONNEISHA PINEDA PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE COACH

(Paulie checking with JP to see if he has any
eligibility left.  She couldn't stop laughing...)

Coach J.P. -- Jonneisha Pineda -- got news good also on Thursday, getting promoted to an associate coach status from assistant coach. This is wonderful news for the Cardinals women's basketball program and Cardinals fans. 

Coach J.P. is fond of saying "work is work" and definitely lives by the phrase, based on all the things she does with the Cards WBB program.  

Coach J.P. came to Louisville in 2019 from Georgia Tech and has become a player and fan favorite since her arrival here.  JP's focus with the Cards has been with the growth and development of the guards, and...all one has to do is look at the successes of Jaz Jones, Asia Durr, Dana Evans, Hailey Van Lith, Kianna Smith and many others since she's been here to realize she is very good at what she does. 

Here's looking forward to more seasons with J.P  until she gets the call to be a head coach somewhere. 

SOFTBALL IN BLACKSBURG TO FACE VIRGINIA TECH

A crucial three-game road trip awaits the Cards starting today, when they face off against the Hokies. 

These Hokies are #3 in the nation, according to the polls, and have put together a 32-6 season. They're atop the ACC standings with a 15-2 record, 1/2 game ahead of Duke. 

Louisville is 24-17 on the season and is in sixth place in the ACC with an 8-7 conference record. 

Friday and Saturday's games will be on ACC Network Extra (online) and Sunday's contest will be on the ACC Network. Start time Friday is 6 p.m.

The series will be a test to see how the Cards pitching can hold up against the powerful VT offensive attack. 

Best of luck to Softball in Blacksburg ! 

paulie

WBB Adds Another -- Louie Awards -- Six Service Award Winners -- Weekend Happenings -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Chrislyn Carr Joins WBB

Louisville women’s basketball added another member to next year’s squad. Chrislyn Carr joins the Cards from Syracuse for her final year of eligibility. Standing at just 5’5, Carr possibly qualifies to be an Attack Yorkie? We’ll check with Paulie and Jeff on that.

Carr spent last season with the Orange, ranking second on the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game. Carr scored in double figures in 22 of her 29 games. She started all 29 games for them. Carr shot .440 from the field and .372 from three-point range, both team-highs.

Prior to joining Syracuse, Carr was with Texas Tech and was a force with the Red Raiders. She was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2019 and was in the running for National Freshman of the Year. Besides finishing top two on the team in scoring in her freshman and sophomore seasons, she also was a threat from three-point range.

We are still unsure on how big of a role Carr will play with Louisville, and she joins a crowded guard pool with Mykasa Robinson, Hailey Van Lith, Ahlana Smith, Payton Verhulst, Norika Konno, and Merissah Russell, Zyanna Walker and Jayln Brown. However, Jeff Walz has shown a focus in scorers with the transfer portal this year, which makes sense following two of the top three scorers from last year going pro in Emily Engstler and Kianna Smith.

Louie Awards

Last night was the annual Louie awards where student-athletes and teams are recognized and honored with different awards and accomplishments.

The winners are as follows:

Teammate Award- Elana Ornelas (softball), Arina Openysheva (swim and dive), Etienne Donnet (men’s tennis)

Outstanding Support Staff- Becky Schroeder (Director of Sports Nutrition)

CardsCARE- Kaylee Wheeler (swim and dive), Bradley Sample (men’s soccer)

CardsCARE Team- lacrosse, men’s soccer

Spirit Award- Evan Schneider (band), Maddy Robinson (Ladybirds), Terrell Cabral (cheer)

Cardinal Cup- coed cheer

Moment of the Year- full seasons for women’s basketball, volleyball, and field hockey

Alli Bitting

UPS Leadership Award- Alli Bitting (field hockey), CJ Avery (football)

Adidas High Performance Athlete of the Year- Anna Stevenson (volleyball), Nicolas Albiero (swim and dive)

Newcomer of the Year- Emily Engstler (women’s basketball), Sander Roed (men’s soccer)

Highest Senior GPA- Reigan Lines (rowing), Kiana Klein (women’s soccer), Sam Minrath (field hockey)

Highest Team GPA- field hockey

UofL Names Six for ACC Service Award Winners

Katie Schneider

Louisville Athletics named six student-athletes as the top ACC Service Award winners. Kaylee Wheeler, Katie Schneider, Ashley Osborne, Bradley Sample, Kaden Kozlowski, Dawson Orlowski were the six named to the ACC's Top Six for Community Service.

Kaylee Wheeleer (swimming and diving) works with adaptive sports and programs as well as working as a disabilities ministry volunteer.

Katie Schneider (field hockey) has been present in College Mentors for Kids as well as having done work with both National Girls and Women in Sports events and Martin Luther King Day initiatives.

Ashley Osborne (lacrosse) has been active with several groups including Bless The Block, Operationa Brightside Cleanup, Martin Luther King Day initiatives, and the annual Jack O' Lantern stroll.

Bradley Sample (men's soccer), Kaden Kozlowski (cheer), and Dawson Orlowski are the men's athletes honored and were involved with several different groups and initiatives.

Weekend Happenings

Although campus will be fairly quiet for women's sports this weekend, there is still plenty going on.

Louisville lacrosse is the only women's team in the Ville as they host Notre Dame at Cardinal Stadium on Saturday at noon for Senior Day. The Cards are looking for their second conference win of the season and to close the regular season on a two-game win streak.

Louisville softball is on the road in Blacksburg, VA., against #3 Virginia Tech starting Friday. The Cards are fresh off a sweep against Syracuse and hope to build off of that momentum.

Louisville rowing will be taking part in the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. on Friday and Saturday.

Louisville track and field goes north to Bloomington, IN. for the Indiana Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Women's pole vault ranks first in the country and women's high jump ranks fifth.

Happy Thursday and Go Cards!

Jared