Softball takes game 1 vs UVA in extras --LAX falls at ND -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Good morning and happy Friday readers!  We are officially 2 weeks from the Derby weekend which I am very much looking forward to.  Get your fascinators ready ladies!!! 



Softball

The Cards are on the road in Charlottesville, Virginia for an ACC series with the Cavs ahead of the holiday weekend.  The Cavs are celebrating their seniors this weekend and UofL is celebrating a 3 game winning streak taking game 1 of the series Thursday evening.  Its just the second loss for the Cavs at home this season.  

The Cards eek out a victory over the RPI Top 25 Cavaliers 6-5 in 9 innings. Alyssa Zabala got the start in the circle and looked to complete the game heading into the 7th inning with a 5-1 UofL lead.   After giving up 3 hits in the inning, UofL head coach Holly Aprile made the pitching change. She finished her day giving up 8 hits and 4 runs (3 in the 7th) and 4 strikeouts.

  

Brooke Gray got the win in 2.2 innings of one-hit softball in the circle.  

Easton Lotus finished with 4 hits on 5 plate appearances, scoring 2 runs. Char Lorenz had a 2 run HR to put the Cards ahead 5-1 late in the game.  

The last time UofL and UVA faced off was in 2023 in Charlottesville when the Cards swept em. 

1st inning

The Cards had 5 batters appear to open the game but count come up with any runs.   The Cavs came out swinging to get on the board early with a single and a double and a SAC bunt in-between to score the games first run.  But I will say I think it was a bad defensive effort that allowed that first runner to get on board to begin with. 

2nd inning

Pretty anticlimactic inning as the score remains the same throughout.  

3rd inning

A single up the middle for Lotus to start the offensive punch for the Cards before Lookadoo found herself looking at a bases loaded situation. She singled over third base to score 2 runs and then some defensive chaos throwing the ball around allows for some advancements and then a play at home which was reviewed and upheld as out at the plate. Card up 3-1 

4th inning

Both squads with 1 hit and 1 left on base but no runs to show in the inning. 

5th inning

Three up, three down for both squads for a quick inning. 

6th inning

Zabala started the 6th with a 10 pitch at bat that should've been a strike 3 called on a beautiful pitch on the inside corner but instead resulted in a single to CF which is quite deflating but the Cards were able to get out of the inning unscathed. 

7th inning

A Lotus single to left followed by a quick slap homerun to left center put the Cards in a comfy position heading into the final frame of regulation. But the Cavs would respond with 3 hits and runners on the corners and a chance to tie it at the plate.   Coach Holly Aprile makes the pitching change and put Lindsey Mullen in the circle instead.  She threw just 6 pitches facing 2 batters for the night, giving up a home run and a single putting the Cavs in a position to win in walk off fashion.  Aprile makes another pitching change putting Gray in to clean up the mess.   To extras we go... 

8th inning

The Cards had 3 hits but were unable to plate any runs it in and defensively it was 3 up, 3 down for UVA.

9th inning

Ally Alexander walked to get on base and ultimately score the game winning run on a fielding error from UVA and Maddi Grant doubling to right field to push the run across.  The Wahoos got two runners on but where unable to respond. 

The Cards win! 

Lacrosse

Louisville went to South Bend for the last match of the 2025 season and fell 6-17 against the Notre Dame fighting Irish. UofL finishes the 2025 campaign with a 7-10 record and a 1-8 mark in ACC play. The Irish had lost their 4 previous matchups and finished 7-8, 2-7 ACC.


ND scored in the first minute of the game and the Cardinals responded a minute later when Negai Nakazawa sent a feed to Maggie McMahon who delivered her 12th goal of the season. ND scored nine unanswered goals to close out the first quarter. Reese Whiteman for her team-best 25th goal of the season but the Cards could not come back from the early deficit and went into the break down 10.

This is the Health Science Campus of UofL - Downtown - the School of Medicine

I am working on finishing up a pretty awesome UofL related project here in the coming weeks that I am looking forward to sharing soon =)

As Always
Go Cards

~Daryl 

LAX afternoon battle with #3 Notre Dame -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Hello readers!  Its Daryl again checking in on a Thursday.  

My brain has been beyond scrambled recently trying to get back into a routine with the Bats and trying to wedding plans.   I appreciate everyone's flexibility to allow me to do so while also continue to keep up with the Cards.    

It's the last day of classes for students on campus!  Campus has been absolutely buzzing this week with spring flowers blooming and students everywhere.  They brought out the food trucks to help gear everyone up for finals.   

So lets talk about the Cards in their final regular season match.   

Lacrosse

(Maybe the greatest ever to don a Cards LAX uniform....Kay Morrisette)

UofL brings a 7-9 record into the contest with #3 Notre Dame for the last regular season match of the season.

This one is scheduled to begin at noon over at UofL’s Lacrosse Stadium and will be available on the ACC Network Extra. The Irish bring a 13-2 record into the contest.

The Irish have not lost since March 9th when they fell 10-12 to Virginia on their home turf. In April they have outscored opponents 51-21.

The Cards are 2-14 against the Irish all time with the first match happening back in 2009. They sport a 1-6 record at home. Louisville is on an eight game losing streak to Notre Dame.

The Irish boast six 20+ goal performances this season and...obviously... one of the nation’s best offenses.  With five goals and a program-best six assists, Jackie Wolak set a career best with 11 points against Pitt to close out the month of March.

Kelly Denes registered 16 draw controls in that contest, tying a program record and helping the Irish 26 total draw wins good for a program best at home.

I do believe we will get Jared over there to snap some photos from the contest. If you and join the fun, the ACCNX will have the broadcast so fire up the internet device. 

Good luck to the student athletes on their finals!!! I do not miss those days at all! 

As Always, 

Go Cards 

~Daryl 

Double-Header Weekend - Sunday Cardinal Couple

So it's been a weekend of double-headers for UofL Athletics...when you consider across sports and across days.

vs UAB 

The Softball team got the doubles started Thursday with a bout against UAB which they won 15-0.  Then completed that double-header with UAB Friday evening with the 6-2 win.  Friday was also a double-header for Softball as they also won 4-1 over Maryland earlier in the afternoon.



The Softball squad continued their winning ways yesterday afternoon with a 2-0 win over Miami of Ohio.  The pitching squad won this one by committee with freshman Kyra Snyder handling the first 2 innings and didn't give up any hits.  She was replaced by fellow freshman Danielle Watson who is credited with the win with 3 innings pitched.  Watson allowed one hit, but put 3 Ks up on the board before being replaced by the Junior Megan Hensley, who gets the save with 2 innings pitched.  She allowed the other hit of the game for Miami, but set 2 down on strikes.

The scoring for the Cards was accounted for by Sidney Melton and Caitlin Ferguson.  Melton reached on a fielder's choice, showed off some of her speed by stealing second, and scored on an error in the first frame.  The other score of the game came in the fourth with Ferguson singling, advancing on a Nicole Pufahl sacrifice, and being batted home by Hensley.

The Softball squad will wrap up the weekend today at 5:30 vs Eastern Illinois.

vs NC State

Yesterday was also Basketball vs NC State.

The women were up first in the semi-final of the ACC tournament in Greensboro.  You can check out the tournament update from Paulie that was added on to yesterday's article.

There, you can also find evidence of one of the best decisions the ACC has ever made...inviting the UofL stats crew to be the stats crew for the tournament.  We have talked about the UofL stats crew in the past, but they are one of the unsung champion teams of UofL.  They, quite literally, wrote the book on keeping basketball stats.    Here's an interesting and well-researched history on the NCAA statistician's manual, including Louisville' place in it.

Back to the topic at hand, the double-header with NC State was completed last night with the Men going down to defeat 76-69 in Raleigh to wrap up their regular season.

vs Notre Dame

Today sees the last double-header of the weekend, against Notre Dame.  Given Louisville's history of overtime games against Notre Dame in various sports, today could be a real doozy of a day.

This double-header gets started at 1pm with Lacrosse in the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium.  Louisville has had a couple of overtime games against Notre Dame in past years, with at least one of them going into two overtimes.

Louisville comes into the game with only a single loss for a 5-1 record.  The lone loss coming against a quite good Denver team, currently ranked 20th.  Notre Dame sports a 4-2 record, with an 18th ranking (these are from the Inside Lacrosse poll), the two losses come to Boston College and Southern California, current sitting in 2nd and 13th in the IL rankings, respectively.

You can come out to enjoy the game with a food truck on site for concessions.  Disappointingly, they don't (yet) have any poutine in honor of our increasingly Canadian-leaning Lacrosse coaching staff and roster. Paulie would settle for a canadian bacon BLT.

This double-header will wrap up with the ACC Championship game in Greensboro with Muffet McGraw and the Irish as the opponents for the UofL Women.  Again, look for an update later today from Paulie with recap and analysis...we're still waiting on the restraining order Ms. Wuf took out on him to be served.

vs FCC

We were thinking about doing a second hour of The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour yesterday in honor of double-header weekend, but the FCC thankfully intervened.  You can hear the one hour of radio that we got in before the Federales crashed through the door of the studio to shut us down.

Check out the Soundcloud for 3 knuckleheads in the studio and one on the phone from Greensboro.

Paulie is hoping Sam Purcell breaks out the pink shoes today...but it might be hard to top his James Bond outfit with black tie he displayed for the Virginia Tech game.

Cardinal Women's BB. Shaken, not stirred.

https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20180303  (Our audio only)

Our Facebook LIVE version: https://www.facebook.com/WCHQfm/videos/1953351104688163/

--
JMcA

Jude Book Signing Sunday night a huge hit...Lacrosse beats Notre Dame -- Monday Cardinal Couple

LONG LINES, PLENTY OF SMILES FOR JUDE SIGNING

Jude Schimmel signed her book Dreamcatcher Sunday night at the Cardinal hall of Fame Cafe and the fans came out in droves for the chance to buy a copy, have her sign it and pose for pictures. 

Crowds were already starting to form when Sonja and I arrived at the restaurant around 5:45 p.m. for media interviews...before the signings started. 

When the autographs began shortly before 6:30 p.m., the line stretched from down the hallway leading to the Coach's Room to the entrance of the restaurant. When we left after the interview and a bite to eat (around 7:45 p.m.) the line was still stretched back to the door. 

We got to talk to the author for a few minutes before the signing began. We'll play the full interview on our weekly CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO SHOW on Saturday...but here are some of the highlights:

-- On the crowd response:  "I'm really excited to see the people waiting for see me so I can discuss things and the book with them. One thing I have learned in four years here is that the people of Louisville are passionate about their sports, especially women's basketball. I'm grateful for having been a part of it"

-- When the idea first struck her to write a book:  "In the seventh grade is when I think it first occurred to me about writing a book but I never thought it would become a reality. Last fall, though, I started it and it started becoming a reality." 

-- The motivation behind the book: "I wanted people to learn...through what I've been through in my life and hopefully go out there and be successful in their lives."

Jude's book is available at her website:

www.judeschimmel.com

There is also a link to the site on the Right Side of THE Site here at Cardinal Couple.

We heard that Jeff Walz was scheduled to appear with Jude also...but was with a basketball recruit. He hadn't arrived by the time we left but we did see Myisha Hines-Allen headed to the signing room. 

(A special thanks to Charlie Springer -- UofL Card Game -- for his photos!!) 

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RAINS WASH OUT SOFTBALL

Softball cancelled on Sunday for Pearsall's Pulveriers. The rains came again to Oxford, MS and the Ole Miss softball diamond.  They head to Lexington Tuesday to battle the Cats...

Louisville got in just one game of the scheduled three...it's going to throw a wrench into the April Contest here at Cardinal Couple...what was 11 games now looks like eight...barring any other weather cancellations. 


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LAX KNOCKS OFF IRISH 10-8

Louisville Lacrosse traveled to South Bend for the final regular season game of the season and pulled off a 10-8 win over the ACC opponent Sunday afternoon. 

This one went back and forth in the first half...the Cards tied it at 3-3 when Kaylin Morissette scored on a free position goal. ND ran off two straight but Louisville responded with three straight scores, two from Hannah Koloski, and Cortnee Daley gave the Cards a 6-5 lead..which looked like it might be the half-time margin. The Irish capitalized with 16 seconds left in the period to tie it. 

The second half belonged to Louisville. 

Daley scored 105 seconds into action. Koloski picked up her third goal three minutes later. A defensive battle ensued until Morissette picked up her second goal with 11:31 remaining. It was 9-6 Cards, and the Irish had been held scoreless.

ND did cut the into the lead with ten minutes remaining but Daley picked up her fourth goal to make it 10-7 a minute later. Notre Dame managed to cut it to two with 8:43 left...but that concluded the scoring and Louisville picked up their 10th. win of the season with ball control and defense the rest of the way.

The Cards are the #7 seed in the ACC Tournament and will face #2 seed Duke Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

paulie
xxxxx