Lori Korte, Assistant Sports Information Director – University of Louisville Athletics
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior Kelsi Jones went 3 for 3 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs to lead the No. 18/19 University of Louisville softball team to a season-opening 7-1 win over Northern Illinois Friday evening at the Florida Atlantic Kick-Off Classic. The Cards (1-0) will face host FAU at approximate 10 p.m. Friday evening.
“We’re excited about the first game of the season and pleased to get the win,” said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. “I was really impressed with our defense today. They stepped up and made a lot of tough plays and that’s what we have to do all season long. I thought our pitchers both played well, they each had some ups and downs, but they came through and both came back strong when they needed to. Offensively, this wasn’t necessarily the fastest start we’ve had, but I really liked what I saw from our junior class. I think that as time goes on, if we try to stay within ourselves and don’t try to do too much, we’ll be good.”
The Cards jumped to an early lead when junior Kelsi Jones delivered the first hit of the season and followed with the team’s first stolen base of the season. Junior Brittany Duncan smacked an RBI double to left center to put Louisville on the scoreboard. Duncan came around to score when senior Taner Fowler reached on an error to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
Junior Kayla Soles led off the second with a shot over the left field wall to increase the lead to 3-0. One out later, junior Whitney Arion reached on a two-base error and senior Katie Keller delivered a double and took third when Arion was tagged out at the plate. Jones drew a walk and stole second – an error on the throw to second sent Keller home to make the score 4-0.
The Huskies got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth when Ashley Kopp doubled and took third on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch sent her home to make the score 4-1.
Louisville answered with three more runs in the sixth. Arion walked and was lifted for pinch runner freshman Jordan McNary who promptly stole second and came around to score on Keller’s double. Jones followed with a home run over the left field fence to give the Cards a 7-1 lead.
The Louisville defense squelched a Husky scoring opportunity in the fifth when Shelby Miller drew a leadoff walk and took second on a wild pitch. Jordyn Bowen reached on an error that placed runners on the corners with no outs. Rebecca Rupard executed a bunt to squeeze Miller home, but third baseman Kayla Soles fielded it cleanly and combined with catcher senior Maggie Ruckenbrod to hold the Huskies at bay. Kali Kossakowski stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second and hit into a double play turned by first baseman Fowler, second baseman Keller and Ruckenbrod to end the inning.
Senior Caralisa Connell (1-0) got the win after tossing 4.0 shutout innings and holding the Huskies to one hit while striking out three. Freshman Maryssa Becker picked up her first save, allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out five in 3.0 innings of relief. Keller went 2 for 4 with two runs. Ruckenbrod continued her solid defensive play behind the plate by throwing out two potential base stealers.
Rebeca Rupard (0-1) took the loss, giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits in 1.1 innings. Kopp and Miller each had a hit for Northern Illinois (0-1).
