Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE - Cards blank DePaul 2-0. Play Notre Dame today for title

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Collins tosses two-hit shutout. CARDS win 2-0


-Okoro breaks school record for discus


-Women's Basketball: The ATayy site and video


DePaul? DeFeated. 

Tori Collins allows just two hits in win.

Next?


Behind the two-hit, complete game pitching of Louisville senior Tori Collins and a key two-out, two RBI double from freshman Kayla Soles -- the Cards softball team advances to the BIG EAST Softball tournament title game today against Notre Dame. 


Louisville gets revenge against the only BIG EAST team to defeat them in the regular season behind the arm of torrid Tori Collins...who struck out six en route to improving her record to 24-1. 


Any questions on who the best pitcher in the BIG EAST is now? 


If so, they might be settled today at 6 p.m. when Louisville could face the selected BIG EAST pitcher of the year in Notre Dame's Laura Winter. The Irish defeated St John's 5-1 yesterday to earn their berth in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game. 


Louisville 2 - DePaul 0

The two squads hooked up in a scoreless battle for the first three innings. When the Cards came up to bat in the top of the fourth, it looked like they may hit the field for the bottom of the fourth still locked in a scoreless battle. The first two Cardinal batters returned to the dugout victims of Kirsten Verdun's strong pitching.


If we've learned anything at all about this Louisville softball team this year, though, it is this:


Never count them out.

Jordan Trimble reached on a single. She advanced to third on a Maggie Ruckenbrod single. Kayla Soles delivered the goods next with a double that brought Trimble and Ruckenbrod home safely. 


2-0 Cards. And that was all Tori Collins needed. 


DePaul threatened in the bottom of the sixth when the first two Blue Demon batters reached base on a single and walk. Maggie Ruckenbrod, though, eliminated Samantha Dodd from second with a pick-off throw to Katie Keller. A fielder's choice grounder sent Verdun to second but Collins got out of the jam when Mary Connolly grounded out to Keller. 


Collins retired the side in order in the seventh to get the win. Louisville got seven hits to go with the two runs against Verdun...who is 26-13 on the year. 


DePaul should get an NCAA bid, by our estimation...so strong sophomore lefty Verdun, who was on the All-BIG EAST First Team, should get at least one more pitching opportunity this year. 

Kirsten Verdun probably isn't done for the year.

Notre Dame today at 6 p.m. It marks the third straight year Louisville has played in the tournament title game...losing to Syracuse in both 2010 and 2011.


We'll have a full recap of the action later tonight. 


A link for the video highlights of yesterday's win below


Cards 2 - DePaul 0


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Chinwe Okoro broke a four year record for women's discus at UofL with a throw of 58.25m/191-1 in competition during the Cardinal twilight events yesterday.

She defeats the mark set by Louisville's Jere Summers, who...coincidentally...was on hand to witness the toss. Summers, who has graduated from Louisville, was competing as an individual yesterday... getting in some throws as she tries to qualify for the 2012 Olympic team. She finished second yesterday to Okoro. 


Cards get a couple of weeks off until the NCAA preliminary rounds in Jacksonville


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Asia Taylor (ATayy31) has a blog. The Cards spoofing American Idol is worth watching. Link to her site is below.

Good stuff! Go get some...


Link:


ATayy



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you did...e-mail the words "Afghanistan Bananastand" to us at
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Saturday Cardinal Couple...Softball Cards take two against Rutgers

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Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE


-Louisville pitching the key in sweep 1-0, 2-0


-Keeneland offers big card for Saturday


-Women's golf in 17th place in Bryan National


-Watson discusses Bobby


The University of Louisville softball team wins two against Rutgers Friday and holds the Scarlet Knights bats to two hits in 14 innings. 

Not that the softball Cards went hog wild against Rutgers pitching (sorry Coach Petrino), but Louisville improves to 32-2 on the season and 6-2 in BIG EAST play with some timely hitting and clutch fielding against the Scarlet Knights. 


GAME 1


This one was strictly a pitchers' duel for six and a half innings. Caralisa Connell tossed four innings of one-hit softball and Alyssa Landreth held the Cards to two hits through six innings. Louisville came to bat in the bottom of the seventh tied in a scoreless thriller and drove the crowd of 600+ into a frenzy with the frenetic finish. 

After Alicja Wolny flied out to right to start the inning, Jordan Trimble drilled a single up the middle to give the Cards the winning run on base. She didn't half to wait long...Kayla Soles punished a cheating left fielder by drilling a shot over her head to send Trimble home and end the game 1-0 Cards. 


Big props to Chelsea Leonard with 3 innings of no-hit relief against the Scarlet Knights...and Jordan Trimble, who had two of the four UofL hits in the opener.


GAME 2

Jared Stillman handles the PA duties for
Cardinal Softball. He also carries this framed photo
around with him wherever he goes...

The Cards jumped on Rutgers early in the second game...Jennifer Esteban singling up the middle to open the bottom half of the first and scoring on a  Kristin Austin single to left. 


That proved to be all Louisville needed with pitching ace Tori Collins in the circle.


The senior lefty would strike out 10 Rutgers batters en route to a one-hit shutout...the only hit coming on a controversial ruling in the top of the seventh inning when Kristin Austin and Jordan Trimble both converged on a fly ball off the bat of Chandler Howard and then backed off each other...allowing the pop up to fall to the turf without a glove on it. It was judged a hit. Most would call it a fielding error.  


Honestly...Collins got robbed of a no-hitter by the call

Louisville added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when Kayla Soles beat out an infield hit to reach first and scored when Whitney Arion rattled the left field fence with a line shot for a double. 


The regal, towering Collins (14-1) was masterful in the night cap against the Jersey girls...a couple of 3rd inning walks the only blemishes in a superb performance. If there is a better pitcher in the BIG EAST, you'll have to prove it to us. 


The teams face off tomorrow at 11 a.m. All are invited to an Easter Egg Hunt in Cardinal Park Saturday which begins at 9 a.m. The kids will love it, take them over!


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CARDINAL COUPLE makes the annual spring pilgrimage to Lexington and Keeneland Saturday. Wish us luck and keep us safe from zealous Wildcats...oh, mighty Cardinal in the sky. Ladies...you'll need to get the broom out on Rutgers without us in attendance.  (WE know you can!) 

Some winners would be nice while we're up there...


Kent Desmoreaux did well up there Friday on Keeneland's opening day. "Superman" always seems to win when Paul bets against him. We'll keep an eye on him Saturday


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The Louisville women's golf team shot a 317 in the first round of the Bryan National Collegiate tournament yesterday in Browns Summitt, NC. That puts the Cards in 17th place...27 strokes back from leader Northwestern. 


Leading the way for Louisville was junior Candice Wiley who fired a 78 in the first round. Closely behind with 79 are freshmen Emily Haas and Katie Petrino. 

Sara Karlsson turned in an 81 and senior Maria Castellanos played the 18 in 85 shots. 


The Cards start day two of the Bryan at 8:20 a.m. Saturday...in case you were thinking about driving down to be in the gallery at the Masters and wanted to get a little women's golf-watching in on the way...


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(David Watson is a special contributor to CARDINAL COUPLE. Today he comments on fast bikes, young blondes and lying to your boss. He would cover Guitars, Cadillacs and Hillbilly Music...but Dwight Yoakum has been there, done that.)

Step down, Bobby Petrino. It's the right thing to do. You can leave a note for the players in the Arkansas football locker room if you want. You can have your S.I.D. compose a touching, heartfelt statement and hold a press conference to tell the shocked Hog fans. You can twitter it if you want or change your status on Facebook. But, step down, Bobby Petrino. 

Booby, (yes, I spelled it that way originally and decided to keep it) you have taken one step over the line. Or should I say, put your ride in the woodpile. A motorcycle crash, well -- yes, most fans can forgive that. But towing a 25 yr. old blonde -- that is engaged to be married in June -- around with you that "ain't yer kin"  (to paraphrase it in "Hog-speak") and then covering up the details from your boss is a bridge too far. 



You lied to your boss Bobby. I know it isn't the first time you've done it. How many times have you since you've been in Arkansas, though?


And now we learn about the "inappropriate conduct". It can't be considered "getting lucky in Kentucky". How about "getting a thrill in Fayetteville?" Morality out the window like a dropped pass with no coverage. 

And, indeed, you got lucky. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is playing Russian roulette. I've done accident claims on wrecks where the driver and the passenger didn't walk away. And, what if this young, if un-witting, girl had been injured or died. Would you want that cross to bear? 

Walk away from it and give it a rest for a couple of years. Do some public service work or write a book. Visit the Himalayas or spend some time chopping wood (maybe even with Greg Schiano) around your Ozark cabin or in Tampa Bay. 


Let the furor, the outrage and the comments die down. Someone, somewhere will hire you to coach down the road. Maybe not at the $3.5 'grrr' that you're finding in Fayetteville -- but enough to pay for some motorcycle repairs and a few sessions with a therapist. 

Walk away from it and examine where life has led you so far. Job hopping like a migrant worker during the growing season. Leaving wakes of controversy at each stop along the way. Building successful football programs at a couple of schools and then punting the ball directly into the stands. 


Think of the "fam" and try to repair the damages you've done.  You've got a loving (at last check) wife, one kid that has had a history of substance abuse problems and a daughter that has potential as a possible pro tour golfer someday. Do you really want to continue to drag them through the briars and the bushes with your self-motivated and altruistic ways? 

I read here today that your daughter Katie shot a 79 in the first round of a tournament she's in representing the University of Louisville. With all the pressure you've tossed on her shoulders, it's a wonder she broke 100. And, the looks, the talk behind her back and the well-meaning but embarrassing comments she's going to have to endure the rest of the semester and beyond -- why, Bobby, why? 


Step down, Bobby. It's the right thing to do. If not for you, then the family. Own this one, Coach, and turn your life around. 

It's Easter weekend. A time where we rejoice in the wonderful story of Jesus Christ rising from the dead and saving us sinners. 


It's Passover also. Pass the reigns (or the Harley) over to someone else and reflect, renew and rebuild. Let someone else lead the exodus out of embarrassment you've brought on Arkansas football.  


Jesus Christ, Bobby. Step down and sit on the sidelines for awhile. We could all use a break from the drama. 


(David Watson spends several hours each Saturday prior to Easter hiding his golf balls in the woods for kids to find. Most of us call it "tee-ing off." and would spend considerable time shouting "fore" if we played like David.)


(Tom Watson, he ain't.) 
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