Softball Series to be Settled - Sunday Cardinal Couple

Virginia Evens Softball Series

Visiting Virginia evened up the softball series at one game apiece yesterday, taking the win by a score of 5-3.  The Cards celebrated senior day, honoring five players: Kendall Smith, Payton Hudson, Rebecca Chung, and both Greenwood sisters - Cassady and Carmyn.  All five players played in the game yesterday, with Kendall Smith in her usual spot at catcher, and Carmyn Greenwood patrolling left field as normal.  Payton Hudson and Cassady Greenwood came in as a pinch runners, while Rebecca Chung took a turn as a pinch hitter.

Senior Day picture - Kendall Smith, Payton
Hudson, Rebecca Chung, Carmyn Greenwood,
and Cassady Greenwood (left to right)

In basketball, games tend to look like chaos when the defense of a team is playing aggressive and performing well.  Softball is the reverse, if a defense is playing well, the game looks routine, and one could argue, even a bit dull.

That was not the case with yesterday's game.  Not all of it can be pinned in defensive breakdowns, but there were certainly some breakdowns to be critiqued.

Virginia got on the board with a run in the first inning.  The Cards would answer in the second and third.

The human black hole, Jenna Servi, fields what
appears to a be a foul ball grounder at third base.

After the bottom of the first inning where the Cards went 3-up, 3-down with only four pitches, they started the scoring in the second with a Hannah File homer to left field.  Add on doubles by Dylann Cravens and Ally Alexander that scored Cravens and the UVA pitcher got chased from the circle after just 20 pitches thrown.

The third inning, Korbe Otis singled to center field, Taylor Roby followed with much the same to right center and was replaced on the base paths with a pinch runner.  Roby's single did advance Otis to third who then was able to score on a wild pitch.

Kendall Smith easily tags a runner out at home.

Unfortunately that would be it for the Cards scoring  in the game, though with the 3-1 lead at that point, UVA had some work to do.  They were helped some by some definite choices that were made by the Cards defense.  Very few actual errors were recorded, one for each team, but choices made by UofL on defense allowed UVA some opportunities that they probably shouldn't have had.

UofL will look to win the game and the series today with a noon start from Ulmer.  After being on the linear ACC Network yesterday, back to "just" the streaming on ACC Network Extra today.

Photos by Jared Anderson

Hannah File finishes rounding the bases after her
solo home run shot to left field.

Dylann Cravens does a great Stretch Armstrong
impression to tag second base to get the force out.

Track and Field

The Cards saw quite a bit of success in Track and Field yesterday, wrapping up the Clark Wood Invitation.

Gabriela Leon topped the previous school record in pole vault, that she already owned, and of course set a new personal best in the process with 4.61 meters (15' 1.5") for the win.  The Cards took the whole podium with  Aliyah Welter clearing 4.36m (14' 3.5") - a personal best - for second, and Auriane Viola cleared 4.06m (13' 3.75") to take third.

 Synclair Savage, Taylor Herbert, Je'Nyia Burton and Kiyah Yeast stopped the clock at 44.91 in the 4x100m relay for a school record, and also the win.

Former volleyballer Emily Scott continues to shake up the high jump standings.  She cleared 1.76 meters (5' 9.25") for the win.  This is short of her personal best set a couple of weeks ago of 1.81 meters (5' 11.25").

Morgan Bentley and Rachel Darden went one two in the triple jump.  Bentley leaped 12.37 meters (40' 7"), for a personal best and Darden cleared 12.02 meters (39' 5.25").

And one final win for the Cards in the meet with the 4x400 meter relay team breaking the tape at 3:43.40.  That team is composed of Katie Martin, Je'Nyia Burnton, Taylor Boggess, and Riley Burger.

Basketball News

Ahlana Smith Enters the Transfer Portal

Ahlana Smith has put her name in the transfer portal.  With the inundation of the UofL roster with guards, this may not be a huge surprise to most.  After averaging just over 12 minutes per game for 4.3 points per game average, no one could fault Smith for looking for a school where she can garner a bit more playing time in her 5th "Covid" year.

Of course, there is always the option to come back out of the portal and not actually leave the current school, and we have no reports of any situation that would indicate that she was not welcome to finish out here at UofL.  With her skills and capabilities, however, it is likely that another school will come calling and offer her the opportunity that she is looking for, in which case, we here at Cardinal Couple and all of CardNation will wish her the best.

C. Vivian Stringer Retires

Long time Rutgers coach, icon in the industry, and inspiration for many has decided to call an end to her career in September.  While Stringer has no particular ties to Louisville, she was an honored frequent opponent during UofL's years in the Big East.

Stringer retires after 50 years of being in the head coach seat and 27 years at Rutgers.  She was the first coach, men's or women's to take three different teams to the Final Four, completing the hat trick in 2000 with Rutgers, after having taken Iowa and Cheyney State to appearances earlier in her career.  She is the first African-American coach to have reached 1,000 wins in their career.

Stringer has left a great mark on the game of basketball.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

Daryl, Jared, Paulie, and myself were on the call yesterday, where we talked about Basketball news, Softball, Lacrosse and plenty more.  A bit of a longer run on this one, but we had a lot of good discussions.

You can catch this one via the Youtube stream at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muLdqRBmiQM