Softball shuts down Ga. Tech to sweep series -- Monday Cardnal Couple

 3-1 Complete Game for Alyssa Zabala in win. 

Since we have moved out of Cards WBB coverage for the time being, let's catch up on one of the spring sports at UofL. Louisville Softball picked up a nice win against Georgia Tech today at Ulmer Stadium to go 29-7 on the season and improve to 6-3 in the ACC. Alyssa Zabala went the distance in the circle for the Cards, picking up her seventh win of the season while allowing just three hits. 

For 3- 1/2 innings, this one was a scoreless affair. The Cards finally broke through for a run when they managed to "fill the bags full of Cards" when Easton Lotus opened the bottom of the fourth with a single and Camryn Lookadoo and Madison Pickens were hit by pitches. Taylor Monroe sent a deep fly to center that was caught... but Lotus tagged and scored for UofL.

Ava is a junior for the Cards from Taunton, MA. 

Ava Venturelli made it 2-0 Cards with a solo home run and the Cards added their final run of the game when Lookadoo hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Chelsea Mack. 

Georgia Tech opened the seventh with a solo home run off Zabala, but she sent the Bees to the dugout out with three straight outs after that and ended the game. 

The Cards return to action Tuesday when they travel to Richmond, KY to face Eastern Kentucky University. The Colonels are 18-15 on the season...but 11-4 at home. It's scheduled for an ESPN+ broadcast...starting at 6 p.m.  

paulie

Louisville Softball decommissions Colonels...Blue Devils befuddle LAX...--SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

PITCH AND HIT CARDS DOWN EKU 6-1

Mother Nature cooperated Saturday afternoon and Maryssa Becker helped her own cause in the circle in Louisville's 6-1 win over Eastern Kentucky University in the Louisville Softball Classic Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. 

UofL (16-6) wasted no time getting the offense in gear...Sidney Melton's single and steal of second in the first inning set the table for starting pitcher Maryssa Becker's RBI single and the Cards led 1-0 at the end of one.

The second inning produced another Cardinal tally...when Mike went fence...the first home run of the season for catcher Alison Szydlowski. The score was Syd/Szyd 2 - EKU 0 after two. 

Louisville plated four runs in the fourth...hot-hitting Morgan Meyer drove in Sarah Lopesilvero and Brittany Sims with a bases-loaded single and Becker picked up two more RBI's with a double that got Szydlowski and Melton to the plate...a Syd/Szyd base-clearer. 

Becker would step out of the circle after four innings of shutout softball and give way to Megan Hensley...who allowed a run in the fifth and just three hits in three innings. 

Sunday games have been cancelled due to the rain...aka "inclement weather". Another reason why we need to put a dome over Ulmer. Anyone who has had great financial gains recently and would like to see a dome gracing the skyline on the Belknap Campus contact Paulie here at the website and we'll commence clearance and construction for what we'll tentatively call the "Sonja-Dome". 

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LACROSSE FALLS AT DUKE 16-5

Louisville Lacrosse suffered their first loss of the season Saturday afternoon in Durham, NC to the Duke Blue Devils. 

Duke jumped on the Cards early with two opening goals before Julia Wood connected on an unassisted score. The offense was held in check the rest of the first half by the Blue Devils, though...and a 6-0 run by the home team produced a 8-1 halftime score. 

Duke pushed the lead to 10-1 in the final half before Kelli Gerding went back-to-back with net-finders. The Cards would get no closer than that the rest of the way, though and were held to their lowest goal total of the season in the 16-5 loss. 

A surprising large loss to the ACC foe and worrisome lack of points produced for a Louisville team that have been averaging almost 11 goals per contest. The Cardinal defense had been holding opponents to under seven scores a game...Duke being the first team this year to record double-digits scores against UofL. 

Kaylin Morissette did win 12 draw controls in the game...Louisville travels to Canisius Wednesday for their next contest.

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THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

Our Saturday radio show rebroadcast is available at the Crescent Hill Radio website for listening. We had a fast paced, lively discussion of Louisville women's basketball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, swimming and diving and where we think the Cards might land in the NCAA's Selection Monday for WBB. 

We also sampled audio from Sandy Pearsall, Cortnee Daley and the ubiquitous Quentin Hillsman and several Syracuse players. 

It's worth an hour of your time to give a listen and we'd sure appreciate it if you gave us a "click"! 

LINK: THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 3-12-16