KNIGHTEN'S WALK-OFF SINGLE DOWNS CARDS
If yesterday's loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Columbia NCAA Softball Regional seemed eerily familiar, it had good reason to seem that way. Louisville lost a 4-3 game to Nebraska back in February in the ACC/BIG Ten Challenge on a walk-off hit at the end of the game...back then it was Kiki Stokes who did the damage during Nebraska's final at-bat. .
Yesterday the Cards intentionally walked Stokes in the bottom of the seventh to load the bags with one out...presumably to avoid a similar scenario to the one in February. That brought M.J. Knighten to the plate, though, and she skipped a single past Cards shortstop Sidney Melton to end the contest. In both games, it was Maryssa Becker in the circle taking the loss.
Knighten had been injured in the first inning of the game... sliding into second base to break up Melton's throw to first after a ground ball and played on a twisted ankle the final six innings...making several great plays in the field despite the hobbling.
The decisive bottom of the seventh started for the Huskers with a single and then a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt...putting runners on first and second. After a ground out advanced the runners to second and third, Pearsall called for the intentional walk for Stokes...who was 2 for 3 in the contest prior to that...and Knighten got her second hit of the game to end it.
Louisville fell behind on a two-run homer from Madi Unzicker in the bottom of the second but countered to tie the contest in the top of the third when Hailey Smith delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to score Morgan Meyer and Sidney Melton. Besides those two run outbursts, the contest was primarily a pitcher's duel between Becker and Nebraska's Emily Lockman.
The Cards slip to the consolation part of the Columbia bracket...where they'll face BYU in the double-elimination format. Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Homestanding Missouri run-ruled the Cougars 9-0 in five innings yesterday to advance to the winner's bracket to face the Cornhuskers at 2 p.m. today.
ESPN 3 will have the internet feed for the Cards vs. Coogs contest.
A tough way to go down after staying competitive the entire way. It goes back to the philosophy that the game is a matter of inches and seconds.
The final single that won it was a ready-made, get-out-of-inning-unscathed double play ball if it's hit just slightly left of where it travelled or if the infielder is standing a few inches closer to second base. The Nebraska two-run homer is a double off the left field fence if it lands three inches lower on the wall. A bang-bang play where Morgan Meyer appeared to beat out an infield single but was called out...the Cards could use a few breaks in the time, space and measurement categories.
We hope the Cards get the inches advantage today against a BYU team that looked totally demoralized yesterday against Missouri. I guess grand slam home runs in the second inning might do that to you.
Hopefully, Louisville can hang a "L" on BYU (that would make it BYUL...or LBYU, I guess) and get a chance to face the loser of the MO v NEB game. Like the BeeGees said so many, many years ago, it's all about stayin' alive.
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY
paulie
xxxxx
CORNHUSKER HITTERS A CHALLENGE FOR CARDS
...from the "know the foe" files...
As Louisville Softball prepares for NCAA Regional softball today in Columbia. MO against the Nebraska Cornhuskers...two NU players in particular will look to have an impact at the plate when they face either Maryssa Becker or Megan Hensley.
M.J. Knighten has a long distance relationship going on with Mr. Spalding. The junior has sent him on over-the-fence journeys 21 times this season and when she crushes one there is usually no doubt that it's going to be a fence clearer. She is second in the nation in four-baggers.
The stat is impressive when you consider opponents often choose to pitch around her. She's received the free pass 39 times this season...but that doesn't bother her.
"I'm not over analyzing it or making it too big a deal -- like 'Oh, my gosh, their walking me again' I'm just taking it like 'I'm getting on base again for my team.' "
In those rare moments when she gets a chance to swing the bat, any thing is fair game.
" Any pitch that's in my wheelhouse, I'm going to take a hack at. I have to trust what I see, what I know and my mechanics at the plate and approach every pitch like that."
* * * * * * *
Husker second baseman Laura Barrow is an advocate of the hard work approach in compiling a recent 12 for 27 (.444) hitting streak over the last nine games.
Showing up early to practice to get extra reps in. Coming back to the indoor facility at night. the work has made a difference in raising her average to .295 after floundering early in the season around the .200 mark. The sophomore explains:
"I kind of think I was too hard on myself at the beginning of the season. I really wanted to make an impact this season so I put a lot of pressure on myself. Then, in the middle of the season I kind of had to step back and I talked a lot to the coaches and we really decided it was in my head."
A move that sent her to batting ninth in the lineup by Husker head coach Rhonda Reville has paid dividends for the Huskers. If Barrow gets on...opponents then have to face leading hitter Kiki Stokes and then Knighten.
Nebraska slugged by Purdue 8-0 in six innings to make the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament but fell to Penn State 8-7 on the Nittany Lions home turf in University Park, PA.
A pivotal point of the season came in early April for Nebraska. Having lost six of their previous nine games and after a disappointing defeat by Maryland, the Huskers had a players-only meeting where a lot of heart-to-heart and frank discussion took place, according to Knighten. After that, they ran off a five-game win streak and took eight of their next ten.
Here's hoping the Hit and Pitch Cards can quieten Knighten and bury Barrow today to advance in the winner's bracket portion of the double-elimination format. This one will be on ESPN 2 at 5:30 ET.
(portions of today's article were used from articles in The Lincoln (NE) Journal-Star)
paulie
xxxxx
Knighten had been injured in the first inning of the game... sliding into second base to break up Melton's throw to first after a ground ball and played on a twisted ankle the final six innings...making several great plays in the field despite the hobbling. 
The final single that won it was a ready-made, get-out-of-inning-unscathed double play ball if it's hit just slightly left of where it travelled or if the infielder is standing a few inches closer to second base. The Nebraska two-run homer is a double off the left field fence if it lands three inches lower on the wall. A bang-bang play where Morgan Meyer appeared to beat out an infield single but was called out...the Cards could use a few breaks in the time, space and measurement categories. 
