THE HOLLY APRILE INTERVIEW
I got a chance to catch up with Louisville Softball head coach Holly Aprile recently to talk about her preparation, thoughts and activities toward the start of the 2019 season. A season that will rival any of the on-campus sports in terms of playing on the road early.
Louisville will start the season in Fullerton, CA. in the Titan Classic on Feb 8th. and visit Chapel Hill, NC, and Knoxville, TN for classic and challenge action before returning back to Ulmer for the home schedule opener against Indiana State on March 1st.
She has a team for 2019 that has several returning letter-winners that paced the Cards last year and experience at several positions. Also on campus are six freshmen, who will battle for starting roles on the diamond.
The Cards roster lists six pitchers, all who were on the squad last year and either saw time in the circle or sat out as red shirts. Megan Hensley leads the "hurling" group and the senior has recorded 26 wins over the last two seasons. Names you're sure to remember from last year that are back include Maddy Newman, Riley and Paige Schindler, Sid Melton, Caitlin Ferguson, Celine Funke, Madison Cousineau, Danielle Watson and Kyra Snyder.
As you listen to the interview, some key points to listen for:
-- What tournaments (and why they are in them) are the Cards starting the season off with?
-- Coach's thoughts on starting a season in a warmer climate
-- Who will the Cards face in the ACC /Big 10 Challenge?
-- Who are some of the returning Cards on the roster?
-- Who will take the pitching circle for Louisville?
-- What role could senior Blaire Bass play on the squad?
-- Coach's thoughts on UofL hitting power this season
-- The freshmen and her observations on them
-- Holly's coaching style
-- Her message to Cardinal fans
A great time talking softball with Coach Aprile but we didn't get a single overhead plane roar, train horn or emergency vehicle siren make an audio appearance in the 14 minute chat. Plenty of time for that, of course, during the season at Ulmer. The Cards will play 22 home games on the ballpark at the corner of Floyd and Brandeis Streets.
The roster breakdown by class is: five freshmen, seven sophomores, two juniors and five seniors.
The geographical breakdown of where the players are from is: Indiana (5), Kentucky (4), North Carolina (2), Louisiana (2), California (2) and (1) each from Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Alabama and Illinois.
A special thanks to softball S.I.D. Lori Korte for making the arrangements and sitting in with us for the interview.
You can listen to the Interview at the link below:
LINK: December Interview with UofL Softball's Holly Aprile
paulie
xxxxx
#############
15 HITS ROCK CARDS, HENSLEY IN 5 INNING WIN
On a cold evening in Lexington at John Cropp Stadium -- a night more suited for a chilly football game or curling on the sidewalk -- Kentucky's bats were hot and pounded Louisville tosser Megan Hensley for 4 2/3 innings before the contest was stopped in the bottom of the fifth due to the "run rule" in an 8-0 victory over Louisville.
"We made some bad mental mistakes defensively." Sandy Pearsall commented after the game. "We knew Kentucky was going to hit the ball - they are a good hitting team - and our mistakes came back to haunt us. I thought we used our speed to get on base and get into scoring position but we did not do a good job of bringing them home."
With the thermometer at 42 degrees at first pitch, the teams went through 1 1/2 innings of scoreless softball before the Cats put two runs across the plate in the bottom of the second. Freshmen Mallory Peyton and Lauren Johnson's singles were the at-bats putting UK in the driver's seat.
The Cards continued to give up hits but were able to keep Kentucky from crossing the plate again until the fateful fifth inning. Six hits...(five singles and a double) plus a walk and costly UofL fielding error allowed UK to add six runs to their lead. Jenny Schaper's single plated pitcher Erin Rethlake to push the eighth run of the game across the plate and end the contest.
Rethlake allowed just four Louisville hits in five Cardinal innings at-bat. Sidney Melton produced two singles, Maddy Newman's single and Celine Funke's single were the only damage UofL was able to inflict on Rethlake, who went to 6-3 on the season. The Cards threatened in the third when Melton and Newman had hits but were stranded and in the fifth when Funke single and advanced to third on a steal an error but got no further.
A look at the in-state UK v. UK rivalry in various sports this season shows a Cards win in football, women's soccer and women's basketball but losses in baseball, men's basketball and softball. The two schools tied in men's soccer.
With the softball victory, UK is now 22-11 on the year, the Cards 24-12.
Louisville returns to Ulmer Stadium for a three game series against Virginia that starts on Friday. With unseasonably cold temperatures forecast for the weekend and a chance of a winter storm Saturday, it's possible we'll see some game time changes or even cancellation of a couple of these.
A great time talking softball with Coach Aprile but we didn't get a single overhead plane roar, train horn or emergency vehicle siren make an audio appearance in the 14 minute chat. Plenty of time for that, of course, during the season at Ulmer. The Cards will play 22 home games on the ballpark at the corner of Floyd and Brandeis Streets. 
