Softball Cards beat UNC 6-1 -- MONDAY CARDINALCOUPLE

CARDS IMPROVE TO 33-17 WITH HOME FINALE WIN

Louisville Softball jumped on UNC early in the Sunday home finale with five first inning run to give pitcher Danielle Watson a nice comfort zone in the circle, and Watson responded with a five hit, one run shutdown of the TarHeels in Ulmer Stadium.

Watson retired the TarHeels with just one hit allowed in the top of the first and the Cards came out rarin' and ready to go in the bottom of the inning. Louisville "batted around" in their part of the inning. Beginning with a one-out double from Sidney Melton, UofL sent five straight batters to the plate. Sid, plus Megan Hensley, Taylor Roby, Kyra Snyder and Rebecca Chung all made their way around the bases on the Don Dobina Field to provide the early margin...getting four hits on ace UNC pitcher Brittany Pickett. 5-0 Cards !! 


From there, the contest evolved into a pitcher's duel from the circle. Louisville would add an additional run in the fourth, when Melton singled to left, stole second and advanced to third on a Hensley single to left. She scored on a Roby infield fielder's choice. 

The TarHeels came up with their run in the top of the seventh. Megan Dray doubled to left and scored on Zoe Goodman's single...but Watson recorded her fourth strike out of the day to end any threat and the game. Watson recorded her 11th. win of the season and allowed just two walks. 

Coincidentally, villainous umpire Bonnie Daye was at first base and not behind the plate on Sunday. 

When Watson has her control and confidence working like she did Sunday, backed by a Cardinal squad that made no fielding errors and some nice plays, she is one of the best in the the ACC from the circle. She faced four or less batters in all of the first six innings and only five in the final inning. She was also aided by a spectacular running catch by Hensley in right center. 

The Cards go to Raleigh, NC to conclude the regular season on Derby weekend.  Then, it's the ACC Tournament in Tallahassee, FL.  after that. Going into the final weekend of ACC action, Louisville is in third place in the Atlantic Division and in fifth place overall in the conference standings. 

(photos by Jared Anderson) 


                                                             *****************


THEY SAID IT 

I caught up with Head Louisville softball coach Holly Aprile, plus players Megan Hensley and Danielle Watson for post-game comments. You can see/hear those at the links below:

LINK:  MEGAN HENSLEY AND DANIELLE WATSON POST GAME UNC 4/28/19

LINK: HOLLY APRILE POST GAME UNC 4/28/19


                                                                 


                                                                         *************




TOOTING HIS OWN HORN

(photo by P.A. announcer Jason Puckett) 

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour regular and writer here on the site Jared Anderson is a man of many talents.

You see his photos here consistently on our website. He got the chance to demonstrate another one of his skills yesterday when he played the National Anthem before the game. He is classically trained on the euphonium and did a great job with it Sunday! 

Jared's no stranger to performing the National Anthem at UofL athletic events and performed admirably for the Cards' final home game this year at Ulmer. Playing the heck out of that "baby tuba", he was, he was...

We've got it for you below. Well done, sir!

LINK: JARED ANDERSON PERFORMS NATIONAL ANTHEM 4/28/19 AT ULMER STADIUM


Have a marvelous Monday! 

paulie
xxxxx

CARDINAL COUPLE...Parts I and II Today -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

PART I -- Radio and Anthems

We'll be coming at you in two parts today. 

I have an interview with Coach Kellie Young (Lacrosse) later this morning. I'll be posting that later...check back.


For the now, I'm readying myself for my Tuesday Morning chat with Howie Lindsey. WE review the weekend in sports....mostly, but not limited to, women's sports. Howie brings me on each week and it's worth getting up a little early for.

We air around 7:40 something and I get anywhere from 5-10 minutes. It's always a fun time and I'm glad that we can get a little information out there about how the UofL women are doing. You can listen at 790 WKRD or on the IHeart app. 

He may bring up the National Anthem controversy. I have mixed feelings about it. How do you feel about it? Give us your take in the comments section. Would you "take a knee"? How do you feel about that? 

We'll be back later this morning. Go out and get something done. Make breakfast. Go to work. Hit the gym or go to class in the meantime. Be productive...but if you need that extra rest or sleep, don't deprive your body. After all, it's the only one you'll get issued.

Listen here!   Louisville First with Howie Lindsey


PART II -- THE KELLIE YOUNG INTERVIEW

(THERE IS A LINK TO THE FULL INTERVIEW AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE) 

PRE-PRESS BOX LOOK

One of the most beautiful sites on the Belknap Campus is the view from Kellie Young's office. On a bright, sunny Tuesday morning I entered that office a little before 9 a.m. and just had to stop and revel in it a few seconds before Coach and I "got down to it". 

A sun splashed green, artificial turf...illuminated and the unmistakable Louie the Cardinal Bird logo at midfield. A new turf, and new Bird. Absolutely beautiful. In the distance, the South Side of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and the renovation cranes and stark, steel beams.

I have seen some wonderful things out of this window. On a cold and blustery day...former LAX great Nikki Boltja, by herself in an inch or two of snow...shooting a bag of Lacrosse ball at the north net. Going to gather those shots and repeating the process. The construction of the Press Box and spoofingly suggesting they name it The Cardinal Couple Memorial Press Box...since, prior to it, it seemed like Worldwide and I were the only two media representatives that regularly followed the squad. Sitting in the bleachers wth parents and Jeff's mom. I saw in my mind's eye Hannah Koloski running the field and taking passes from whomever she could get to go out there with her and firing them on the run at that north net first and then sprinting the length of the field to shoot and the south net. 

These eyes have seen many great, and a few tragic, things on that field. Upset wins. Faye Brust going down, in obvious knee pain and trying to return in the second half but unable.

I hope to see many more things there...and Faye's back! (We'll get to that....yes, the interview. Pardon me for waxing nostalgic a few paragraphs.)

Coach Young and I began our interview talking about fall practice. The squad, with nine freshmen, has been working very hard the last couple of weeks and she is seeing some great things from the newbies and the returnees. Of particular note...Lexie Ball at goalie and the freshmen Blalock twins. Seems they know a thing or two about face-off control at midfield. 

It's a big weekend for LAX. They'll face Marquette, Vandy and the alums on Saturday the 30th. Maybe a chance to hop over and see how they look while your tailgating at Football. Coach is excited about the chance to see the girls go up against some very talented competition. 

Nine freshmen in all out there. We also caught up on last year's standouts Hannah Koloski and Steph McNamara. Both are still on campus and pursuing academic and career training. We saw Steph at the recent Field Hockey game. Coach says she's seen her once, that Steph still has a hard time going back into the complex without getting quite emotional. That blur that flew past me as I walked from the lot to the Little Yum must have been Hannah. I can only assume she is preparing for the race against Jaz Jones, Jordan McNary and Minnie Mink to determine "the Queen of Speed" title. 

She's back! Cardinal lacrosse great Faye Brust is an assistant coach for Lacrosse. She embodies the spirit and culture that Young has for the program and she knows a couple of things about scoring as well. I chatted with "Fabian" very briefly after my interview with Kellie. Same ol' Faye...big grin and ready to roll. She was at Furman as an assistant when she got the call...and even brought a couple of grads from the Palladins program who have a year of eligibility left and are working in quite well with the chemistry of the squad. 

Kellie and I also touched on Sarah Blaylock's nice award during her senior year of high school and Elise Koehl's unique summer experience in Vietnam. Coach also provided her view on the National Anthem current controversy and....we have to add her to the list of those coaches without a GOLF CART! We discussed that, although she did mention that WBB has been nice enough to take her a few places in theirs. 

I learned (with a sigh of relief) that it was WBB assistant Coach Steph Norman driving and not Walz....

I'll have to double my efforts to get these nice ladies rides. I may take a knee in front of Kenny or Jurich's office. A short one...my tendinitis and bursitis won't let me stay down there long. The "GET WHEELS FOR THE COACHES" appeal is now gaining momentum.  

We learned with a sigh of relief that it was WBB assistant Coach Steph Norman driving and not Walz....

Name this coach for an entry in our $20 Panera
giveaway. Leave answer in comments section.

All too soon, our time was over. We said our goodbyes, lamented the fact that we didn't put asst. S.I.D. Nick Evans asleep during the eight minutes (he sat in with us) and let coach get to her 9:30 meeting. Nick showed me where the stairwell by Kellie's lobby went...it's a nice shortcut to the first floor that bypasses the basketball offices and puts you by the entrance to the practice court. You go through a few hallways and twists and turns...but it's functional.



They probably never should have given me a new route to plot and consider...

LINK to interview



FINALLY...

This result in from Paulie vs. the D.P.S. 

FINAL
D.P.S. 1
Paulie 0

I stopped by the D.P.S. office today after the interview and plunked down my $100 for a four-year handicap sticker. (They didn't know how much it would cost next year). IT DID NOT COME OUT OF CARDINAL COUPLE FUNDING...I shouldered the expense my-own-damn-self. 

After speaking with a few people who are paying $300 a year, I figured it was maybe my best option. 

Gotta hand it those those friendly robots in the D.P.S. office. No emotion, thank you or chatter....just give me your name, your show me your driver's license and fork over the $100. 

Or...as the late, great Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd sang...

"I got your drinkin' money...tune up your dobro." 

Guess I'll do THE SAFETY DANCE

PAULIE INTERVIEW WITH KELLIE YOUNG.


Paulie
xxxxx

On knees and raising fists -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

With no Cardinal women's sports taking place until Thursday this week...Paulie takes a look at a subject that has been getting quite a bit of attention lately. Kneeling and raising fists during the National Anthem.

Protest. It's an inalienable right afforded to the citizens of the USA. America was settled about 500 years ago by Europeans and English who were protesting the unfair ways and means they were being forced to live in their countries. Peaceful protest, not taking to the streets and looting and rioting. There is a big difference there. Of course, there were Native Americans already here. And, dinosaurs way before that. Thus concludes today's history lesson. Go in peace.  

Does protest have a place in athletics, though? Does it need to be displayed during the National Anthem? There are injustices in our nation, our way of life. Racial inequalities. Police brutality. We see them every day. They are deplorable, unacceptable and inexcusable. Is a game, a sporting event the acceptable venue to bring attention to them? 

Do protests need to be displayed during an athletic event? Certainly it is a high-profile visibility. There is a modicum of decency that suggest one keep their eyes on the flag during the playing of our national anthem. But, more and more...people are looking around to see if anyone is kneeling or raising a fist. That I don't like. It is my right to have that opinion. I choose to look at our flag and remember those who have defended it. 

The singing or playing of the national anthem....as well as the reciting of the pledge of allegiance is meant to show respect to the country we live in. It is, though, not mandatory...like the hand-raising..."Sieg Heil" of Nazi Germany. Listen to the P.A. announcers before the singing or playing of the national anthem.

"PLEASE rise, remove your hats and join us in the signing of our national anthem." It is a request, not a mandate. 

It is our choice, like the many choices we have in this great land. I choose to rise, sing and acknowledge those who served, died and protect us. To show respect for a place where I can write an article like this without fear of censorship, retaliation or recriminations. 

Some don't. Although I disagree with their choice to refrain or show another action...it is their choice. We may choose to disagree about the procedure. We both have that right. Think of those in this world, just for a moment...that don't have choices. Who are more worried about whether they will receive food on a daily basis than a song or pledge.

Like many of you reading this, I am from a family where some gave all to assure the freedoms I have today. My late father served a total of 30 years in the Navy. My uncle died on the battleship Arizona in Pearl Harbor. My late father-in-law marched with Patton through France and Germany. One of my best friends was killed in Vietnam. I am well-familiar with the naval base in Key West. 

I have also been the subject of police brutality. I have been witness to racial profiling and discrimination. I didn't like it one bit. I have howled in outrage when I've heard of another senseless shooting. 

I vividly remember the 1968 Olympics when track gold medalist Tommie Smith and bronze medalist John Carlos donned black gloves and raised their fists in support of Black Power. Hey, the world was a pretty big mess in '68. Some would question if it's gotten any better. 


If this article has made you think...then it has served it's purpose. As for me, you'll still find me singing the national anthem at sporting events. You'll see me reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I'd be happy if you join me...I'll estimate that way over 99% of the people reading this will. 

I'll also respect the rights of others who choose not to do so. Just as they respect my right to express myself. 

And...finally...I'll hope for a day....someday soon, hopefully...when there is no injustice, discrimination or brutality in the land I love. Sometimes, it seems so far away. 

paulie
xxxxx