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No. 18 Softball Concludes the 2013 Cardinal Classic with a Pair of Wins
Feb. 24, 2013
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior pitcher Caralisa Connell posted two wins and struck out 14 while allowing only one hit as the No. 18 University of Louisville softball team defeated Kent State 3-2 and Eastern Illinois 5-0 on the final day of the Cardinal Classic Sunday at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville improves to 12-2 on the season. "I was pleased with the energy we brought today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "Caralisa came up big for us again in both games, and we were able to score runs when we needed to." Louisville 3 - Kent State 2 The Cards took a 2-0 lead in the second when walks to Alicja Wolny, Hannah Kiyohara, and Taner Fowler, each walked to load the bases for Whitney Arion's two-out RBI single. The Golden Flashes answered with two runs in the fifth. Lauren Kesterson drew a leadoff walk took second on Kim Kirkpatrick's bunt single. Abbey Ledford reached on a fielder's choice which saw Kirkpatrick out at second but moved Kesterson to third. Shelbi Tilton's RBI single put the Golden Flashes on the scoreboard. A wild pitch sent Ledford home to tie the game at 2-2. In the bottom of the sixth, Kiyohara reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a groundout by Taner Fowler to represent the go-ahead run for Ruckenbrod's RBI single. Connell (7-1) got the win, holding the Golden Flashes scoreless on two hits and striking out four in 2.1 innings of relief. Arion was 1 for 3 with two RBI and Kiyohara scored two runs in the win. Emma Johnson (4-5) took the loss, allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out two in 4.1 innings of relief. Kirkpatrick led the Golden Flashes offensively with a 2 for 4 performance at the plate. The teams played through three scoreless innings before the Cardinals broke through with a run in the fourth. Katie Keller drew a walk, moved to third on Alicja Wolny's single and came home on an error to give Louisville a 1-0 lead.
Louisville tacked on four more runs in the fifth. Ruckenbrod led off with a single and took second when Mann on a misplay on her sacrifice bunt. Both runners scored on Taner Fowler's two-run pinch-hit double. Esteban re-entered the game to run and moved to third on a wild pitch. A ball-four wild pitch to Jordan Trimble sent Esteban home to make the score 4-0. Kayla Soles connected on a two-out single and scored on Wolny's double for the 5-0 final.
Connell improved her record to 8-1 and notched her third shutout of the season. Wolny was 2 for 3 with one RBI and Ruckenbrod was 2 for 2 with a run to lead the Cards at the plate.
Hanna Mennenga (2-1) took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, on seven hits and striking out four in 4.2 innings.
Louisville will travel to Orlando, Fla. for the 2013 Citrus Classic. The Cards will face No. 9/10 Texas, Temple, Longwood, Georgia Tech and No. 10/11 LSU March 1-3 at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex.
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