Cardinal Couple: Miranda Kramer

Showing posts with label Miranda Kramer. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Becker wins pitchers' duel against Kramer -- Louisville 1 - WKU 0 -- Thursday Cardinal Couple

Becker 1-hitter, Jones homer lead Cards to 1-0 win over WKU

This time, Kelsi Jones knew it was out when it left the bat.

Kelsi went fence!

The senior from Carmel, IN led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run to right-center field to give Maryssa Becker the only run she needed in a 1-0 UofL win over Western Kentucky Wednesday night at Ulmer Stadium.

Jones had the winning home run against Virginia on March 15th. in a 5-4 triumph. She admitted to CARDINAL COUPLE in a post-game interview back then that she wasn't real sure if that shot was going to get over the left-center fence.

Last night, she "knew it when it left the bat" and produced the only run in this pitcher-controlled contest. The count was 3-2 when Jones blasted the high-arching shot onto the berm behind the outfield fence.

Becker was magnificent in limiting the Toppers to just one hit and no runners past second base. Shawna Sadler's single up-the-middle in the fourth inning broke up Becker's no-hit bid. Becker returned the favor by getting the first hit of the game for the Cards off Miranda Kramer in the bottom of the fourth.

Kramer also pitched a fantastic game for WKU, allowing just three hits in six innings. The nation's leader in strikeouts also fanned three Cardinals. After allowing Jones' home run, Kramer gave up a single to Jordan McNary. McNary advanced to third by stealing second and advancing on a fly-out but was left stranded when Kramer got Kayla Soles to pop out to her first baseman.

The Cardinal infield helped Becker's cause with two stellar fielding efforts. Shortstop Whitney Arion sprinted to snag a hard hit shot in the gap by WKU's Larissa Franklin in the first inning. Third base vacuum Hailey Smith made a nice move to capture a line drive by Lexie Norfleet in the seventh.

Becker gets her second one-hitter of the year and goes to 14-5 on the season. Kramer falls to 20-8 in an effort that would have been a win nine times out of ten.

Louisville (28-15) travels to Pittsburgh for a three game set this weekend to end the regular season. The Cards are in 4th place in the ACC with a 14-6 conference record and could tie with Notre Dame for third place (17-6) with a sweep.

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...ALSO APPEARING...

Some notable names in attendance last night to watch the Bat Cards perform. Noted ESPN writer Graham Hays was in the press box taking in the action. He was taking in the action to follow up on his excellent article from Wednesday morning on WKU's Miranda Kramer. You need to read this article. Link below:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12781497/western-kentucky-miranda-kramer

Hays was also chatting up his good friend Jeff Walz...who attended the contest with the best lookin' gal in the ball-park...his daughter Lola. Walz was in great spirits and all smiles...successfully prodding my Derby pick out of me...DORTMUND. Gotta go with the "big guy"...especially out of the #8 hole. You'll find more on that over at my personal website...www.paulsykes.com

I've also got the Thursday (Thurby) Churchill Downs card handicapped over there and an early look at the Kentucky Oaks. Reader beware.

Assistant coaches Sam & Sam were also at the ballpark and we got some great audio from the both of them that we'll play on our 5/9/15 broadcast. It very well may be the first time Samantha Williams has provided almost five minutes of radio interview in history. She should talk more often...she's great at it.

Also representing WBB hoops were Bria Smith, Sherrone Vails, Sara Hammond and Megan Deines. The four were avid spectators of the contest between signing autographs and chatting with fans.

Co-owner of 502 Softball and former Cardinal slugger extraordinaire Alicja Wolny was also in attendance and still looks like she could go out and clear fence on her first swing. Loved the "Big Wol" and that purposeful grimace at the plate...

HAPPY THURBY TO YOU! ( I hate the name that's been stuck on the Thursday before Derby...but it is "Louisville's Day at the Races and it'll be packed at Churchill Downs today.)

Angel wishes all our readers a Happy Derby week. She's back in town and still remains my favorite WBB Card of all time.

The Divine Ms. Mac is the standard that they all need to strive for.

paulie
xxxxx

Softball has home final vs. WKU tonight -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

DANGEROUS TOPPERS TO FACE LOUISVILLE

Forget that the Cards swept the doubleheader last year when the two teams faced in Bowling Green. Set aside the fact that Louisville leads the overall series between the two foes 14-3 and has won the last six meetings. This year's version of WKU Softball is no pushover.

Western (29-10) will take on the Cards in a 6 p.m. in-state rival match after getting the second no-hitter of the season from superlative pitcher Miranda Kramer over the weekend against Charlotte. If she's in the circle tonight, it could be a long night at the bat for Sandy Pearsall's squad.

Kramer has a 20-7 record and a microscopic 0.80 ERA. That's second best in the nation. She also has 346 strikeouts...which is numero uno in D1 Softball. If she's selected to throw against Louisville...we could have another pitcher's duel on our hands if Maryssa Becker enters the circle for Sandy Pearsall.

The Cards' Oregonian sophomore has built a 13-5 record and sports an impressive 2.23 ERA. She also backs up her tosses at the bat...driving in the only run in Louisville's 1-0 win over Boston College over the weekend.

Look for the Cards Kelsi Jones and Jordan McNary to try and wreck Kramer's party. Jones (.392) and "Mac" (.390) lead Louisville in hitting and Jones leads the ACC in doubles (17).

After last night's exciting 2-1 Louisville walk-off win against UK in Jim Patterson Stadium...which was primarily a pitcher's duel...we could be in for a similar treat on the northeast border of the Belknap Campus when "Big Red" brings the Toppers off The Hill to take on Louie's Birds.

We'll recap it tomorrow.

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THE BEST IN THE CONTEST

In our April Contest, which was to pick the total number of runs Louisville would score in the final 11 games of April, Joe Hill and Nick O. are battling it out for the win.

Tonight's game is the final chance to score. We realize that a few got rained out in the contest...and did think about extending it through the Pittsburgh series this weekend...but decided that the spirit of the event was April-oriented and that it will still finish in April.

Nick O. picked 10 runs and the Cards have scored 16. Joe Hill selected 23. If Louisville can score seven tonight, Joe would win a $25 gift card in addition to the Absolutely Fabulous CARDINAL COUPLE T-Shirt. If the Cards get blanked on the scoreboard...Nick O. wins the shirt.

Holding down 3rd place is our "steamed columnist" Worldwide Jeff McAdams...who would need the Cards to erupt for 10 runs tonight to hit his guess of 26.

We're going to change it up a bit for the May Contest.

We'd like you to tell us which of the UofL women's sports teams is your favorite and why. Entries should be 100 words or less. It can be a current or past squad. We'll run a few of them as the month goes on and then select our favorite. Judging the entries will be our dutiful operations manager Sonja and yours truly...the Paulster.

We are not entering. Neither is Worldwide. We'll be truly objective here and may have a third-party not associated with the site look over our favorite entries and help decide.

There's a $25 Gift Card to a dining establishment in it for you if you win. Our second favorite submission gets ~~a new car, Johnny!!!~~ an ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS CARDINAL COUPLE T-Shirt!

You've got all month to get them in. It's free, of course, and you can put your thoughts into any of the daily comments sections or send them to us via e-mail.

cardinalcouple@twc.com

We'll judge based on creativity, content and your heart-felt emotions. Then, we'll slow dance and take a walk down a moon-lit beach while...

OK, you get the idea. Send 'em!!

paulie
xxxxx

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Welcome to the right side of the site! Table for two? Or would you like a seat at the bar? Over here, you'll find schedules, results, pictures, characters, notices, links and other ennui and general nonsense. We offer and come across. You can find out more about women's sports by following us... by reading daily ! Of course, they've shunned us at UofL and bullied some of our former writers to quit writing here... but we go on anyway.. It takes a great person to attack someone dying of kidney failure. and suffering hypoxema...Please don't double park or take up two spaces while you're here and tip your server !

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We are an independent website that covers the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. We're not about birds here, or trysts with other like-minded couples or major league baseball. We write about women's sports at the University of Louisville. We are non-profit, we run no ads and don't ask you for fees and our writers volunteer their services. We have no premium boards or fee-based reads. We are "daily". Any questions, comments or observations can be left in the comments section at the bottom of any article or sent directly to Paulie at: cardinalcouple@twc.com .. Thank you for reading. As we like to say..."You ARE Cardinal Couple! We never forget that and we appreciate you" !!

CO-FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER

The other co-owner and voice of reason....the lovely Sonja...who returns to us on a permanent basis after what can be called an "interesting" time at Rivals. In her words..."you work, slave, research and study for hours and build a site... a women's board. You spend hours on a three column article and several of the readers decide to take aim at you when all you're trying to do is enlighten. I've never seen so many mis-spellings of Louisville WBB players names anywhere...which made me think I was dealing with third graders over there... I have decided to stay off that street and source from here on out and I'm so glad to be back with those who love and appreciate me... not with haters and self-anointed experts " An avid fan of native gardening, hiking and the Smoky Mountains....she loves German potato pancakes and Led Zeppelin....and reminds you to plant native species. I've only seen her mad once (when she was ready to punch out another woman writer who was spreading lies about her) and I've got a feeling that might be a typhoon you want to steer clear of. One of the original writers on the site (with Paulie and David Watson), she has returned. Not as a columnist, but as a proof-reader, confidant and one to bounce thoughts and ideas off of. She's tired of guys with very limited women's basketball knowledge but huge egos calling her out when they are usually chauvinistic, and can be compared to the dog outside barking at something he can't see...We welcome her back and know she'll enjoy the calm waters here. You've got nothing you need to prove or defend with us....you are among those who love you.

About the photos...

CARDINAL COUPLE uses photos from all sources in the daily columns that we present to you. If we've used a photo you have taken and want published credit it for it...just contact us and we'll be glad to do so. Shoot, we might even write a feature article about you and call your Mom and tell her what a good son or daughter you are. WE avoid pictures that may be subject to copyright. Our legal advisors are busy enough chasing ambulances and wheelchairs when they're not trying to figure out trifecta plays at Churchill. Some of the photos are actually taken by the staff of CARDINAL COUPLE. (When we can get the camera away from the chimps). Paulie uses his cell phone to take pictures, too. You have been warned. Please realize that the captions that go with the photos are sometimes parodies. It's up to you to figure out which ones are and aren't. We can't spoon feed everything to you, you know... Jared Anderson is our main photographer and we have loved his work (even his selfies) for many years. Congratulations if you made it this far in your reading! We know...reading stuff like this can be pretty boring but WE have to put it on the site somewhere so that we can say..."hey, there is disclaimer on the site" in case some bozo decides that they want to sue us or something. Like we have any money. We're so poor we can't even pay attention. We even owe bums money.

I was walking down this road once years ago and I saw this guy chopping down a tree. It was hot, the guy was really sweating and I stopped to watch a while. He finally took a break, cracked a can of beer and then asked me if I had a gun. I hesitated before answering but finally told him that I didn't. He said: "That's a darn shame. I'm cutting down this tree because it's my neighbor's and I'm really pissed off at him right now. I was going to just shoot his sorry a$$...but I decided to do this instead. I'm having second thoughts...though." Sometimes, there just aren't enough trees... (I've never chose that particular walking route since..) .

If I'd taken a picture of that guy working on that tree, I'd been glad to share it with the entire world. That's the way WE see other photos out there. Share 'em and create through exposure and appreciation. We provide credit to the photographer when we feel it's needed. We also pay our taxes on time...