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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Softball travels to Tennessee (and loses 8-1)


-WBB: Walz offers 6'3" Andrijana Cvitkovic


-The Kentucky Oaks: A two horse race? 


GAME FINAL...Tennessee 8 - Louisville 1


The #5 Lady Vols tag three Louisville pitchers for 10 hits and eight runs in a win at Knoxville Wednesday night.


#8 Louisville managed just two hits against junior Ivy Renfroe and sees their 18 game win streak end. Louisville goes to 47-3 with the loss.


The Cards scored in the second inning and it was 1-1 after two...but U.T. exploded for four runs in the bottom of the third, two in the fifth and a final run in the sixth for the win. 


It is the highest hit and run production against the Cards this season. 1511 in attendance tonight. 


The game was a make-up game from a rain-out back in early March. 


Wouldn't want to be on that bus headed back up I-75 tonight...


WE'LL have a full recap in the Thursday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. 


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The University of Louisville softball team travels to Knoxville today to play the Tennessee Lady Vols in a 6 p.m. game. U.T. is ranked #5 or #7 in the nation, depending which poll you go by and Louisville is #8 or #9. We can safely say it's a top 10 match-up. 

Non-conference games like this at the end of the season usually don't account for a whole lot...but this one peaks interest for a couple of reasons. 


-- Win streaks on the line. One of these two will see their winning streak end. The Cards have won their last 18, U.T. their last 17. The streaks are the two longest right now in college softball. 


-- Cards look to end the drought. UofL is 0-4 against the Lady Vols lifetime. They last met in the NCAA Regionals back on May 23rd, 2010 in Knoxville. Extra innings until UT broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth to defeat the Cards 3-1. 

These two were scheduled to meet back on March 3rd. in Knoxville in the Tennessee Classic...but rain postponed the game. 


We wonder...


-- Will Tori Collins get the start? UofL has a very important three game, regular ending season visit to St. John's this weekend. Do you risk pitching your ace against the Lady Vols or rest her up for a series that you hopefully will sweep to win the regular season title?


-- How will the Cardinal bats fare against the first Top Ten opponent Louisville has faced this year? Kristin Austin is batting .408 for the season. Over .400 is a rarity anymore in college softball. Taner Fowler isn't too far behind at .378 and Alicja Wolny close to those two at .364. 

-- Which Renfroe will the Cards face in the pitching circle? It's been a sister act this year for Tennessee when it comes to hurlers. Sophomore Ellen Renfroe is 26-3 on the year and Junior Ivy Renfroe is 18-6. They hail from Jackson, TN. and Trinity Christian Academy. 

Good barbecue in Jackson. Been a few years since we've been down there. Wonder if Brooksie's Barn is still as fantastic as it was last time we were there? It's a "must stop" if you're ever in the area...go hungry.

Should be a good one. CARDINAL COUPLE will try to post the final tonight as soon as the contest ends.


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Add another name to the 2013 UofL women's basketball recruit watch-list. 6'3" Andrijana Cvitkovic is a junior post player at Culver (IN) Girls Academy. This one is ironic...because we were taking a look at BIG 10 recruiting the other night and her name seemed to appear on about half the schools' wish list. Add Louisville to the suitors...Walz offered her yesterday. 


Originally from Croatia, "A.C." is expected to probably play at power forward in college. She does possess a nice outside jumper and is said to be able to punish teams from the high post. 


CARDINAL COUPLE writer and recruiting expert Jenny O' Bryan muses:

this picture is Stephanie, not Jenny...

Does this mean that the Cards are lessening up on efforts to land Stephanie Mavunga?


The 6'3" junior forward from Brownsburg, IN is on just about everyone's "got to get her" list and was the 2012 P.O.Y. in Indiana Girls' High School basketball, according to ESPN.


WE don't think that this is a sign that Louisville has lost interest in Stephanie. Instead, we see it as a sign that Walz is looking to add even more depth and skill to the Cards that will be back to patrol the paint in 2013-14. Remember, Asia Taylor will have graduated by then. Vails and Slaughter will be seniors that year. Hammond and Dyer juniors and Walton a sophomore. 


Depth is good. Height is great. Go after the big girls, Jeff. Get as many as you can. 


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We've given you a lot of Derby coverage so far (hope you're reading Darren Rogers) but we're going to look at the 138th running of the Kentucky Oaks today. The "Lillies for the Fillies" takes place on Friday, May 4th. 

The post position drawing was held yesterday and it looks like a full field of 14 three year old fillies, plus one 'also eligible', will compete over the Churchill track at a mile and one eighth. 


We'll make no bones about it. WE see this as a two horse race. On Fire Baby and Grace Hall have distanced themselves from the rest of this field, in our opinion, and will most likely be bet down to 5-2 odds or lower. 


Just for argument's sake...or in case you're looking to fill out a trifecta...who might be there if these two fall apart? 


We'll offer Broadway's Alibi, Summer Applause and Jemima's Pearl as choices to contend for third place.


I got into a bit of a "discussion" about the two Bob Baffert horses in the Oaks last night with a Churchill "regular". He's thinking Jemima's Pearl and Eden's Moon both hit the board at a big price. Honestly, I just don't see it...but a "back-up" wager on the two might not be a bad idea. 

For once...(Oh, Lord...it's a miracle!) Sonja and I are in complete agreement on a horse race. We only differ on who we think will finish third. Give me Broadway's Alibi...she's looking at long-shot Karlovy Vary. As far as who we think will win between Grace Hall and On Fire Baby...we'll wait until Oaks Day to decide that. 


Honestly, it's just too close to call right now...we'll look for developments over the next few days and give them a close scrutiny in the paddock before the race. 


Take a look for yourself. We've got links for the two in their most recent races. 


On Fire Baby


Grace Hall
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