THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE...SOFTBALL GOES TO 28-0

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Austin's blast gives CARDS 1-0 win over UK


-BECKY BURKE to participate in 3-point challenge tonight


-"One Shining Moment" 


-How crazy is the UofL vs. UK rivalry?

Kristin Austin's first home run of the season couldn't have come at a better time. The senior right fielder from Hartsburg, MO. led off the top of the fourth inning by planting a 3-2 pitch from UK pitcher Chandra Bell over the left center fence for a solo home run that proved to be the only run of the game. It was the most important of the six hits UofL managed against Bell and UK reliever Rachel Riley Wednesday night in Lexington and only the second career home run for Austin in her four seasons as a Cardinal. 

It was also the first hit of the game for the CARDS off Bell in the game. She and UofL's Tori Collins had produced a pitchers duel through three innings...Collins allowing just a double to Brittany Cervantes in the first and single by Lauren Combess in  the home half of the second while striking out two Wildcats.

The CARDS staved off a seventh inning rally by UK to notch their 28th. win with no defeats. Chelsea Leonard, on the pitching stripe in relief Collins, got Griffin Joiner to pop up for the first out of the inning. UK's Ginny Carroll worked Leonard for a base on balls, though. Leonard looked like she was working her way out of the jam by striking out Ellen Weaver...but Combess reached first on a UofL fielding error and Carroll went to third on the play. That brought Gaines to the plate...who had entered the game in the bottom of the fifth as a pinch hitter for Krystal Smith...and Leonard got the save by getting Gaines to strike out swinging.


Another exemplary pitching performance by Collins and Leonard...allowing just two UK hits and none after the 2nd inning. 


And, for the Cardinal bats, a home run blast by a singles hitter. 

The Cards head to the Windy City this weekend to take on their BIG EAST foes DePaul for three games. The Blue Demons are one of the favorites to capture the BIG EAST regular season title. It'll be the first home game of the season for the Blue Demons (16-10) and their first BIG EAST game of the year as well. Two on Saturday and one on Sunday for these two squads...first pitch at noon. 


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UofL women's basketball standout senior Becky Burke will participate in the 24th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk and 3-point Championship tonight in Fogelman Arena on the Tulane University campus. The event will be shown on ESPN at 9 p.m. EDT.


(Just in case you wondered...Burke WILL be popping threes and not trying to do a Brittany Griner impression)


Besides Burke, seven other WBB seniors will be playing string music in the shootout. They are:


Brittany Rayburn (Purdue) -  Jess Jenkins (St. Bonnie)
Ashley Corral (USC) - Taylor Alton (Michigan State)
Courtney Ingersoll (Toledo) - Alyssa Shoji (S. Clara)
Markeisha Grant (South Carolina)


(Thanks to Commish Mark for the player roster) 

If you're already down in "Nawlins" and are reading this, admission is just $8 for UofL alumni. How you prove you are an alumnus is beyond us...but belting out the UofL Fight Song for the ticket sellers might do the trick...


Burke is the first UofL women's basketball player ever to take part in this contest, to the best of our knowledge. She finished her career third on the all-time 3-pointers made at UofL with 249. Kristin Maddox made 271 (1992-96) and Sara Nord had 260 (2000-04)


Square, set, release and follow through...double B!!


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We all know the poignant "One Shining Moment" song that is played at the conclusion of the final game in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Here's a glance at the first ever showing of it...from 1987. A great article that accompanies the video goes into the writing, discovery and history of the song. Notice how young Rick Pitino looks on the Providence sidelines and what a meanie Bobby Knight is during the clip. 


WE always loved the way Luther Vandross did this song and wish CBS would return to that version of it. Lose the Jennifer Hudson version, please...CBS.


Who hasn't daydreamed that they were in this thing...cutting down the nets and celebrating your buzzer beater to win the championship game?


And, wouldn't it be great if someone could come up with such a dramatic and popular accompaniment for the end of the NCAA women's basketball tournament? 


We hope that this year's version of it has plenty of Cardinal clips...including a final shot of UofL players celebrating the National Championship. 


Enjoy the clip. And, it's OK if you get a little misty eyed. We did. The Syracuse cheerleader's expression at the 3:54 mark...priceless! Almost looks like a young Geena Davis.


One Shining Moment


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Finally, we give you this article link about the rivalry between UofL and UK. It's by Gregg Doyel..who WE go hot and cold on as far as his journalistic reports. 


Heaven help the loser 


56 hours to tip-off and counting here at mission (out of) control @ Cardinal Couple. The annual chimp UK vs. UofL banana creme pie fight is today at 1 p.m.


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