Sunday Cardinal Couple - Cards lose to Michigan, beat UK to reach finals.

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Cards defeat UK 3-2 to reach regional final


-Cards lose first game of the day to Michigan in extra innings 2-1

Cards hope to play two Sunday

The University of Louisville softball team defeated UK 3-2 Saturday night to reach to finals of the NCAA Regionals at Ulmer Stadium. The win comes following an opening game loss to Michigan 2-1 to put the Cards in the losers bracket of the double elimination tournament. Louisville will face Michigan Sunday at 1 p.m. and must beat the Wolverines twice to advance to the Super Regionals. Here's the action from Saturday


MICHIGAN 2 - LOUISVILLE 1 


Michigan struck early against Caralisa Connell, scoring
their first run in the bottom of the second inning off two Cardinal fielding errors. A throwing error to first, walk and misplayed fielders choice loaded the bases for the Wolverines with one out. A sacrifice fly to right produced the run. Connell fielded a come backer to the mound to end the Michigan threat. 

Wagner gets the win..aided by some Cardinal
errors and a blown call. 

Louisville just couldn't get untracked against freshman Michigan pitcher Haylee Wagner. The Cards got two hits off her in the top of the third and had runners on the corners in the fourth with one out..but couldn't push a run across and remained silent until the top of the seventh after that. 


Louisville, faced with their potential last at-bat, started the seventh with a Alicja Wolny double to center field. Kirsten Straley came in to pinch run, went to third on a wild pitch and scored to tie the game on a Jordan Trimble sacrifice fly to center with one out. 


Tori Collins took the circle in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a single but kept the Wolverines from scoring and the game went into extra innings. 


The Cards went scoreless in the top of the eighth and Chelsea Leonard took the ball in the bottom of the inning and had an apparent second out of the inning on a throw from Kristin Austin to third following a Wolverine single that looked like it got to Katelyn Mann in time to tag out the runner. 

Third base umpire Steve McCrillis called the runner safe, though... a highly controversial call that infuriated the Cardinal fans and dugout. ESPN replays showed the throw and tag in time..but there is no instant replay in women's college softball and the call stood. That set the stage for Michigan to win when a Leonard pitch hit Michigan's Caitlin Blanchard and the runner automatically advanced from third to end the game.


The Cards were now faced with having to play the 8:30 nightcap against the winner of the next game... UK vs Valparaiso...in an elimination game. 


UK defeated the Crusaders 5-4 to advance and the stage was set for the nightcap.


LOUISVILLE 3 - KENTUCKY 2

The Cards batted first in contest and touched UK pitcher Chandra Bell for three first inning runs. After Jennifer Esteban started the game with a single...Alicja Wolny blasted one over the left field fence to give the Cards a 2-0 lead. Louisville added a third run in the inning when Fowler walked, Trimble singled and Maggie Ruckenbrod walked to fill the bases. A wild pitch to Katelyn Mann allowed Fowler to cross the plate and the Cards led 3-0. 


Tori Collins entered the circle for UofL and kept UK scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. Brittany Cervantes singled to start the inning and two outs later UK catcher Joyner Griffin sent one out over the center-field fence to make it 3-2 Louisville. 


Collins and reliever Chelsea Leonard teamed up to keep the Cats scoreless in the final two innings to eliminate UK from the regional and send the Cardinals to the finals. 

Two wins over Michigan Sunday will give the Cards the title. Not impossible, but the Cards will need to find a little more production at the plate. Michigan has given up only three runs in two games behind the pitching of their freshman Wagner. Louisville has scored 10 runs in three games...but only one against the Wolverines. 


Good day for a double-header tomorrow. Sweep 'em Cards! 


We'll have a full recap of (hopefully) both Louisville games and wins tomorrow.


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I'll Have Another wins again

I'll Have Another pulled off another flying finish to nip Bodemeister in the Preakness today. Once again, just like in the Kentucky Derby, "Bode" looked like he was going to hang on to the lead and win...but the rapidly closing style of I'll Have Another prevailed again. 

Bodemeister second best again

A chance for a Triple Crown winner if I'll Have Another can take the Belmont in three weeks. 


The expected challenges from Went the Day Well, Creative Cause and the rest of the field of 11 runners never materialized. Bode and I'll Have Another were eight lengths in front of the rest at the wire...and just a head apart from each other.


WE'D be surprised if Bob Baffert tries the Belmont with Bodemeister. Longer race and Bodemeister just can't seem to hold on in anything over a 1 1/8th. 


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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Softball clinches the BIG EAST title with doubleheader win over St. John's


-Track leads after Day Two of BIG EAST Championships


-Watson on the Kentucky Derby 138.


The University of Louisville softball team captured the regular season BIG EAST title with a doubleheader sweep of St John's Saturday. The Cards defeated the Red Storm 15-4 and 8-4. With the wins, Louisville is now 49-3 on the season.


The bats that had been a little quiet lately showed up Saturday at Metallica levels.  

Louisville plated ten runs in the final two innings of game one to break wide open the contest. Caralisa Connell (17-1) got the win...going 6.1 innings. Tori Collins came in to get the final two batters out in the bottom of the seventh. 


Louisville had 17 hits. Kayla Soles went 3 for 4 and Taner Fowler joined Alicja Wolny at 2 for 4...each hitting a home run. 


In the second game, Wolny continued the hot streak with 3 for 4 hitting and another homer. Fowler also sent another one over the fence. The Cards jumped out to a 2-0 lead and were never tested. Chelsea Leonard gets the "W" and goes to 9-1 on the season. She pitched five innings of five-hit softball and allowed two unearned runs. Tori Collins pitched two innings of relief.   

This is the first BIG EAST regular season title for Louisville since 2006 and the second overall. With Saturday's wins...Sandy Pearsall has now won 500 games at Louisville. 

They'll conclude the regular season with a noon start today. 


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Thanks to the throwers, Louisville's women's track and field team leads the BIG EAST Championships with 53 points (a 12 point lead) after two days of competition.

Stepping up big for the Cards were the shot-put throwers. Chinwe Okoro finished first, Khadija Abdullah took second and Amashi Kendall grabbed fourth. The 1-2-4 finished netted Louisville 23 points.


Action concludes today down in Tampa...beginning at 10 a.m.


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(David Watson is a special correspondent for CARDINAL COUPLE. He watched the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby and files this commentary. It's David...so be ready for anything...) 

My wife and I settled down in front of the television in the "man cave" shortly before 6 p.m. to watch the annual Run for the Roses with a pizza and beverages. Store bought pizza, but not bad -- and when she asked me if I'd like another slice, my reply was:


"Yes, I'll have another." 


She chuckled. "That's one of the horses in the Derby. I'll Have Another." 


"I hope he hasn't been eating pizza before the race." I countered. 


I would imagine that anything he wants to consume would be on the menu today. A 1 1/2 length win over a Bodemeister that looked so tired and spent in the final few yards that I thought the Churchill Downs tractors were going to have to roll up and give him a ride to the finish line. 

Winning rider and owner of I'll Have Another

Rookie jockey on a horse that was an after-thought to most of the 160,000 plus out getting baked in the 85 degree, muggy Louisville weather at Churchill. A feel-good story for a horse and rider that went off at 15-1. 


My pick, OPTIMIZER, must have taken a wrong turn when they hit the Churchill stretch. The official report is that he finished 11th. I think he jumped the fence and went over to party with the gang in the Infield. He's probably over at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium right now trying to impress Charlie Strong with his speed in the "40". 


Our illustrious co-owners of CARDINAL COUPLE were attending a Derby Party that they go to each year. I called Paul about five minutes before the race and discreetly asked if there were "pari-mutual" options available there. He chuckled and said that he was that "option" and having a pretty good day discussing "long and short term investment strategies" with the party goers. I asked if I could participate. I asked my wife if she'd like to participate as well. For entertainment purposes only, of course.


"I'll have another." she flatly stated. 


I'm headed down to Louisville next week to file a missing horse report on Optimizer. While I'm there, I'll hook up with Paul and offer to by him lunch...collecting $32.60 from (as he called it) the "Richie Farmer Defense Slush Fund." 

I'll Have Another pulls away.

Major jockeys and trainers are griping today about getting slammed into, checked, bumped and crowded in "the greatest two minutes of sports" yesterday. Somewhere, though, back in the Churchill Downs barns, a brown three-year old is looking out of his stall and is probably amused at the throngs of people walking by, staring and pointing out that he is the 2012 Kentucky Derby winner. If horses could talk, I'm guessing he'd comment:


"Where were all you guys when I was here the last couple of days?" 


I'll give myself a pat on the back and point out that I did pick I'll Have Another as my third pick in Saturday's selections here at CARDINAL COUPLE. That would have been worth $9.00 at the track after the race. Don't worry, I'm not quitting my day job and spending my time and efforts on horse race handicapping. 


The Preakness is in two weeks. I'll watch it with my wife again I'll HAVE ANOTHER store-bought pizza and see if we have a Triple Crown contender or not. Meanwhile, I think I'll head into the kitchen and get out the refrigerated, left-over slices of pizza from yesterday. 


Yes, I think that "I'll Have Another." slice or two.

Then, it's time to don the Columbo raincoat, get out the Kojak lollipop and gather up Gibbs, Ziva, DiNozzo and McGee and see if we can track down Optimizer. 


( For the record, I do not recall...Mr. Senator and members of the fact-finding committee...ever receiving a phone call from David Watson and there is, in no way, shape or form...any type of written or collaborating evidence to verify his claims in today's column. 


But, we are BIG fans of the Richie Farmer Defense Slush Fund. For entertainment purposes only, of course).


Paul   
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Horses, Cardinals and Coaches...oh, my!

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Who will win the Kentucky Derby? Where's the dartboard ???


-Fowler, Collins sweep BIG EAST awards


-Walz a travelling man this time of year.


-Golf in third place after second day of BIG EAST Tournament

The big grey/white Hansen will be
easy to spot on the track

Kentucky Derby 138 is on Saturday, May 5th. With a dozen shopping days until the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports, the picture on a clear favorite is as murky as the Ohio River after several days of rain. Today, we try to make a little sense of it all. Just in case, we've got the dart board converted to 'horses running' and darts ready to throw. It may just be the most logical way to pick them for the Run for the Roses.

Bodemeister destroyed the field
in the Arkansas Derby

Any discussion of Derby favorites should probably include the following horses. Bodemeister, winner of the Arkansas Derby by nine lengths for Bob Baffert may be the post time favorite. A lot to like there.


Union Rags, a close third in the Florida Derby and the sentimental favorite with trainer Michael Matz and rider Julian Leparoux is getting rave reviews on his training and strength since the race.

No one has gotten to Gemologist yet.

Dullahan pulled the upset over Hansen in the Blue Grass Stakes and both of those will get bettor play. Dullahan was flying at the end and wowed horseplayers with his finishing kick. You know Hansen will go for the lead and try to take them wire-to-wire on a track he won the Breeder's Cup Juvenile on last fall. He beat Union Rags, Creative Cause, Dullahan and four other Derby contenders that day at Churchill.

I'll Have Another could win another...

Gemologist took the Wood Memorial for Todd Pletcher and Javier Castellano and hasn't been beaten yet. The California invaders I'll Have Another and Creative Cause were neck and neck in the Santa Anita Derby and looked good in doing it. 


Think we're done? No, not hardly. 

El Padrino and Mark Valeski could deliver a nice
price on Derby Day.

Take Charge Indy and Calvin Borel won the Florida Derby and Calvin...yeah, he knows a thing or two about riding and winning at Churchill Downs. El Padrino ran fourth against Borel that day but Pletcher is dismissing that race as a horse not liking the course and will relish Churchill.


Sprinter Trinniberg hasn't tested a distance race yet but blew them away in the Bay Shore and has the breeding to suggest he could "get" a mile and a fourth. Liaison has Baffert and Bejarano and they are a deadly combination, despite the sixth place Santa Anita Derby finish.


That should cover it, right? Think again...

Alpha can kick away from the field in the stretch.

Daddy Long Legs invades from Dubai and won the UAE Derby. He's second on the earnings list for potential Derby runners and has stamina and a closing kick. Mark Valeski, who lost the Louisiana Derby by half a length to longshot Hero of Order, did so while missing a front shoe. Daddy Nose Best is a Steve Asmussen horse that gets Garrett Gomez and won the Sunland Derby. Done Talking finished first in the Illinois Derby and Alpha ran an improving second in New York. Isn't He Clever recently got switched to the Asmussen barn. His eighth place finish in Arkansas was probably another case of "wrong track, wrong day"...he did win the Borderland Derby in impressive fashion.

WE look into our crystal ball for
the Kentucky Derby winner later
this week. Where's the Windex?

Twenty horses will take to the gate at 5:37 p.m. on the first Saturday in May. We've covered 18 of them here who we wouldn't be surprised to see finish first across the wire. 


Like we said earlier, get out the dartboard...


WE will have some selections for our readers later this week from Sonja, Paul and Tommy Boy. Suitable for hamster cage liner. 


Currently, Paul is big on Bodemeister. The Arkansas Derby didn't have the strongest of fields...but the way he ran away and hid from the competition down the stretch sure looked like a Derby winning move...


Sonja is wavering between Gemologist and I'll Have Another these days, in addition to Bodemeiser. 

"Seven horse? Seven horse! Who said anything about
the seven horse!! Inquiry! Steward's objection!" 

Tommy Boy refuses to share any philosophies with us yet. He's too busy trying to figure out what happened to his "sure fire" Pick 4 at Keeneland Sunday. 


Tommy usually does pretty good when it comes to big races. He had last year's Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, in his top three and hit the exacta. 

J.J. not seeing a Hansen Derby win.

J.J. Hysell, one of our favorite handicappers, sees it this way in her Paulick Report...1) Gemologist  2) Bodemeister 3) Union Rags 4) Dullahan. She puts out the In The Money site we have listed on the left side of the board.


Got a early "take" on who you like and why? Shoot us a comment or e-mail. Nothing like the blind leading the deaf, right? 


We're still waiting patiently for Churchill Downs to approve us as "media-pass" worthy. We've been assured that we'll get this approval and we know that their media relations department is quite busy these days. Good things come to those who wait, we guess. Will this one 'come down to the wire'?


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Taner Fowler and Tori Collins were selected for BIG EAST awards for Louisville softball. Fowler was named BIG EAST Player of the Week and she had eight hits, four home runs, eight RBI's and six runs scored in the Cards five wins last week.


She also worked the concession stand, sold programs, directed traffic on Floyd Street and swept the stadium after each game. The Morgantown, KY sophomore alternates between designated hitter, catcher, infield and is a slugger extraordinaire. She leads Louisville with nine home runs this year. 

Tori Collins was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll for her precise pitching last week, getting three of the five Louisville wins. She allowed 11 hits in 19 innings and is 21-1 on the year. Her ERA is a microscopic 1.11. 

Collins has 564 career strikeouts which is good for 3rd on the all-time Cardinal pitcher list. 


Louisville (43-2) takes a break from BIG EAST action Wednesday to travel to Bloomington and face Indiana University. 


The Cards lead the BIG EAST with a 14-2 record. USF is 13-3, Syracuse 11-3 and Notre Dame 7-3. 


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Ricky Nelson also sang "Garden
Party" and "Poor Little Fool". 

The late Ricky Nelson sung the classic sixties hit Travelin' Man but one wouldn't blame Jeff Walz for humming a few bars of it lately. 

The UofL women's basketball coach has been spanning the nation watching future prospective Cardinal talent from coast-to-coast. He was checking out 2013 mark and #5 ranked Becca Greenwell in Virginia and North Carolina last week. Then it was off to California to catch #1 2013 prospect (oh lord, won't you recruit us a...) Mercedes Russell. 


Apologies to the late Janis Joplin.

Rumor also has it that Walz offered a scholarship to an outstanding 6'4" sophomore center in the Sacramento area. We're on the story trying to confirm that. With just a couple of days left in the recruiting period, he's also expected to pay a visit to Brownsburg, IN. star Stephanie Mavunga, ranked #3 for 2013.  

Van Halen sings better than Walz. Barely...

There's also a meeting with Swedish sensation Amanda Zahui on campus this week and Lindsey Wilson freshman and  Cardinal target Monny Niamke. 


Yep. Coach is racking up more frequent flyer miles than Van Halen's concert tour lately...


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The UofL women's golf team is in third place after Day Two of the BIG EAST Tournament at Reunion-Watson Course in Reunion, Fla. The Cards took third with a red hot second day score of 311 to give them a two-day total of 623. South Florida leads with 604 and Notre Dame follows with 609.

Haas (center) is a stroke off the lead.

Freshman Emily Haas leads Louisville with a 151 for 36 holes. She's tied for third...just two strokes back of the leaders. Freshman Katie Petrino has had back-to-back 77's and sits in 11th place with a 154. The youth movement on the links seems to be alive and well for Coach K's "grip and rippers". 

Katie Petrino has back-to-
back 77's in Florida.

Maria Castellanos has hit the ball 159 times in two days and Tara Lyons carded duplicate 80's to sit at 160....along with Candace Wiley.


The Cards conclude the tournament today with a 8:50 a.m. tee time. Long drives, close chips and steady putts, ladies!  
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