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Roth's Walk-Off Home Run in the Eighth Completes No. 17/18 Softball's Doubleheader Sweep of Georgetown
April 25, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - Melissa Roth's walk-off homer in the bottom of the eighth gave the University of Louisville softball team a 4-2 win and completed a doubleheader sweep after defeating Georgetown 7-0 in the first game Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. U of L (43-7, 18-4) is now tied for second for the most single season wins and need two more to tie the school record of 45 set in 2006. In game one, the Cardinals made the most of their five hits with two home runs and a three-run double as they defeated the visiting Hoyas 7-0. Patrika Barlow celebrated senior day with a two-run homer over right center to give the Cards a 2-0 lead in the second. Senior Kristi Cunningham reached on a two-base error to set up Barlow's second home run of the season. Junior Melissa Roth's solo shot over left field in the third increased the Louisville lead to 3-0. The Cards tacked on four more runs in the fifth. Junior Vanessa James reached on two-out error and Roth was hit by a pitch. Freshman Kristin Austin's RBI single plated James. Sophomore Chelsea Bemis walked to load the bases for sophomore Colby Wherry's three-run double to make it a 7-0 game. Kristen Wadwell (36-7) went the distance en route to her eighth shutout of the season, scattering seven hits in seven innings and fanning two. Roth was 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI. Jennifer Connell (11-12) took the loss, surrendering seven runs, only one earned, on five hits and striking out two in 5.0 innings. Suria Bahadue paced the Hoyas offensively, going 3 for 3 at the plate.
In game two the Hoyas took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second Mackensey Cooper tripled and scored on a wild pitch. McKinley Cooper walked and came around to score on Kelsie Hanson's base hit. The Cards got a run back in the home half of the third when James singled and scored on Roth's triple to make it a 2-1 game. Georgetown threatened to add to its lead in the fourth when Regan Page and Hanson singled and Demetria Cipriano walked to load the bases with one out. Wadwell struck out Kristi Pruess and got Samantha Peters to foul out to end the inning. Stanfill led off the bottom of the fifth with her fourth home run of the season, a shot over the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2. The Cards thwarted another Hoya scoring opportunity in the top of the seventh when an error, a single and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Wadwell delivered a strikeout to end the inning. Pinch hitter Mandi Rodriguez connected on an two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cards could not capitalize and the game went into extra innings. Wadwell retired the Georgetown side in order in the top of the eighth and the teams entered the home half of the inning still knotted at 2-2. James led off with an infield single and Roth followed with her second home run of the day, a two-run shot - this time over right field - to give the Cards the 4-2 win. Roth leads the team with 14 home runs on the season and is three away from tying the school record. Wadwell (37-7) picked up the win, holding the Hoyas scoreless and striking out five in 6.1 innings of relief. Roth was 2 for 3 with a triple and three RBI. She was 4 for 5 on the day with two home runs and a triple, three runs and four RBI. Carter (3-15) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and striking out four in seven innings. Hanson was 3 for 3 to lead Georgetown at the plate. The Hoyas drop to 14-28 (6-13 BIG EAST). No. 17/18 U of L (43-7) will face in-state rival Kentucky Tuesday, April 28 at 5 p.m. |
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