By Pk Bartleystaff Intern
The game started well for the University of Louisville women’s softball team. In the top of the first, the Cards were able to get a runner on first with one out. Then, the University of Michigan turned a double play to end the inning. In the bottom half of the first, Michigan had two outs when their third baseman Stefanie Volpe came up to bat. She hit a line drive to left field that was sure to be a double or a triple, but U of L left fielder Shannon Nord made a great diving catch to end the inning.
At the top of the second, Michigan pitcher Michelle Teschler struck out the side to end that inning. In the bottom half of the second, U of L pitcher Kelly Blois gave up a lead off walk. She was then able to get the next batter out, but a single by Michigan put a runner on first and second with only one out. Blois was able to strike out the next batter to get the second out. At that point, it looked like U of L was going to get out of that inning unscathed. However, Blois walked another batter to load the bases with two outs. After that, U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall took out Blois and put in junior pitcher Jessica Rak. The next Michigan batter hit a grounder up the middle. U of L senior shortstop Kenzi Meisenburg grabbed the ground ball and threw it to first for the out, but the runner was called safe, and the runner on third made it home to make the score 1-0. Rak was then able to strike out the next batter to end the second inning.
With one out in the top of the fifth, U of L freshman Lisa Estes hit a double, which put a U of L player on second for the first and only time of the game. U of L was unable to advance Estes after they got two quick outs to end the inning. According to Nord, “advancing runners has been one of our problems this whole season”. In the bottom of the fifth with one out, Volpe hit a towering two run homerun to make the score 3-0 Michigan. After that, Rak was able to get out of the inning. However, U of L was not able to threaten after that
To improve, Nord believes that “it’s just all mental. We all have the capabilities of doing it but we just think too much instead of going out there and just hitting the ball.” Coach Pearsall feels that her young team has trouble being consistent. “We don’t play with emotion in every game.”
“We play some games with emotion, and other games without emotion. And we just need to be a lot more consistent.” Pearsall also states, “We’re a young team, and we have not had great leadership from our older players in terms of creating that constant drive to want to succeed.” Hopefully the Lady Cards can get things turned around soon.
