CARDS WIN FIRST, DROP SECOND IN EXTRA INNINGS TO ILLINOIS STATE
 |
| ALISON SZYDLOWSKI |
It was a battle of the Birds Monday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium and the Louisville Cardinals flew high in the first game...gaining a 10-2, five inning win over the Illinois State Redbirds...but falling back to ground with a 4-3, eight inning loss in the second game.
CARDS 10 - REDBIRDS 2
Illinois State took an early first inning lead on Louisville 1-0 but Whitney Arion produced a two-RBI single in the bottom of the first to give the Cards a 2-1 lead.
After the Redbirds tied it in the top of the second, Cardinal Couple favorite Kayla Soles sent one over the fence with the bags full of Cardinals to make it 6-2 UofL.
Louisville added to the lead in the 3rd inning...one of Worldwide's "Sid team" members...Alison Szydlowski reached on Ill. State error and two Cardinal scored on the play to set the scoreboard at 8-2.
"Szy" would strike again in the 5th inning...her two-RBI double bringing home the game-ending runs for a 10-2 Cardinal triumph. Maryssa Becker drew the start in the circle and allowed just three hits in the five innings of hurling...
ILLINOIS STATE 4 - LOUISVILLE 3
The teams were tied 1-1 early after "Szy" knocked home a single, but the Cards found themselves down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
Another "Sid"...Sidney Melton tied the contest with an RBI single, though, to force the extra inning.
The Redbirds got two runs on Shelby McCombs in the top of the eighth...the Cards battled back with a Brittany Sims single scoring one and putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Louisville could not get the tying run across the plate, however, and McCombs (3-1) takes the loss.
Next up, Louisville will travel to Oxford, OH to face Miami
for a 6:00 p.m. game. Louisville returns home for the weekend to host Virginia in an ACC Conference match up.
First pitch for that three-game series is at noon Saturday.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
We are pleased to announce we will be featuring the CARDINAL COUPLE PICK'EM CHALLENGE again this year for the NCAA Women' Basketball Tournament. We'll have a $25 gift card for the winner and an absolutely fabulous Cardinal Couple T-Shirt for second place.
Your objective is to pick as many winners as you can in the 63 games that will be played. You get (1) point for each winner. In case of a tie, the first tiebreaker will be if one of the entries had the national champion picked correctly. If there are more than one with that selection, we'll look at who had the most teams successfully selected for the Final Four.
If a tie still exists, we'll go back to the Great Eight and check that for most teams correctly picked. If a tie still remains, we'll shred each and every entry and have Bill the Goat pick a winner by just randomly showing up at someone's house wearing a Cardinal Couple T-Shirt and a $25 Gift Certificate tied to one of his horns...
Entries can be left in the comments sections of articles after selection Monday or e-mailed to cardinalcouple@twc.com
Here's a popular format people use to enter...selecting the winners for each round. (No, this isn't an official entry):
ROUND 1
DRAKE, WICHITA STATE, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, MONTANA, TCU, HOUSTON, CONNECTICUT, FORDHAM, IDAHO, PRINCETON, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH ALABAMA, KENTUCKY, PURDUE, SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH FLORIDA, MIAMI, DREXEL, HARTFORD, CAL-STATE BAKERSFIELD, IOWA, NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, DAVIDSON, NOTRE DAME, DEPAUL, VILLANOVA, YALE
ROUND 2
WICHITA STATE, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, TCU, CONNECTICUT, IDAHO, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, SOUTH CAROLINA, MIAMI, HARTFORD, IOWA, VIRGINIA, NOTRE DAME, YALE
ROUND 3
CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, MIAMI, VIRGINIA, NOTRE DAME
ROUND 4
WASHINGTON, LOUISVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA
or
ROUND 5
LOUISVILLE, VIRGINIA
WINNER
LOUISVILLE
Entries open after the Selection Monday show (really, Mr. Obvious?) and will close at the start of the first game. It's free, it's fun and you could win a major award plus gain the respect and nods of recognition from those you have always despised deep down inside in places you never talk about. Where there is no hope or tomorrow, just a grueling day-to-day survival of...
Jeez, where's that coming from? Have fun! Enter and win!
PAULIE
XXXXX
FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE
- Red and Black Classic offers five UofL games in three days
Louisville softball has returned home after watching it rain for 3 days and will host the annual Red & Black Classic March 7-9. It's been since Feb 23rd that the Cards have had a game...that one a good one in a 8-0 whitewash of the Northern Kentucky squad to close out action in the Cardinal Classic.
Coming to town for the three days are Ohio State, Ohio University, UMass and Illinois State. Louisville faces UMass today at 3:00 p.m. in the Cards only game today. Louisville will play Ohio University at 5 p.m. Saturday and Illinois State @ 7:30 p.m.
Sunday's action has the Cards facing Ohio State at 3 p.m. and Ohio University again to close the tournament at 5:30 p.m.
As usual, the times are an approximate start.
Starring for the Cards is junior Valparaiso transfer Brittany Duncan, the Cards designated hitter...who sports a .394 batting average and has drawn 14 walks in fourteen games. Missouri transfer Kelsi Jones is knocking Mr. Spalding around for a .378 average, two over-the-fencers and is 4 for 4 in stolen bases.
At 8-6, the Cards have used three pitchers primarily. Senior Rachel LeCoq is 2-3 and carries a 3.41 ERA. She's registered 34 strikeouts in 37 innings. Fellow senior Caralisa Connell (3-3) checks in with a 3.43 ERA and has sent 28 batters back to the dugout on "K". Freshman Marissa Becker (3-0) has 23 send-em-back-to-the-dugout endings in just 17 innings.
Looks to be a great weekend for softball! Get out and enjoy the weather and the games.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
On Saturday night at 6 p.m., Louisville WBB will face the winner of tonight's Memphis vs. Houston game. It's not too late to get an entry in ourAAC pick 'em contest. It's free and if you pick the most correct games of the nine you win a Cardinal Couple T-Shirt. Ties will be solved, if needed, by picking the total score of the championship game. Closest to the actual wins.
You can submit an entry to cardinalcouple@twc.com or leaving one in the comments sections. Here's the picks from our illustrious David Watson. Haven't heard from either Worldwide or Jenny yet. Guess they're really studying hard.
Fri. night -- Memphis over Houston, Cincy over Central Fla.
Saturday -- Rutgers, UConn, Louisville and USF
Sunday -- UConn and Louisville
Monday -- Louisville
Points -- 100
paulie
...
..
..
