Saturday Cardinal Couple - Cards defeat Valparaiso 6-4

.
GAME REPORT: WOLNY'S WHACK
VAPORIZES VALPO 6-4


-Walk off 7th inning homer lifts Cards to win.


-Today's schedule for softball


-Preakness poses possibilities for closers 

Sandy Pearsall is all grins after  Alicja
Wolny's game-winning blast
(Photo by Sir Eats-A-Lot)

For a minute, it looked like it might be Louisville vs. Kentucky in Saturday action in the NCAA Regional.


In the losers bracket in the NCAA Regional.


Down to their final out of the game, the Louisville Softball Cardinals pull out a 6-4 win over the Crusaders with a three-run, game ending home run to right by junior Louisville first baseman Alicja Wolny. 


The blast left a capacity crowd at Ulmer Stadium exhilarated after some nervous moments in the nightcap. Valparaiso simply wouldn't go away and took a 4-3 lead over the Cards in the top of the fifth. 

The Valparaiso Crusader gets the fans fired up

Tori Collins drew the start against the Crusaders but struggled early against the Horizon League opponent. Three first inning singles and a based loaded walk gave Valparaiso a 1-0 lead over the normally untouchable Collins before she got Crusaders first baseman Kelsey Phalen to fly out to center to end the threat. 

Cards Care and Parrish House hero Erv makes sure I
get in the game safely. Say "Hi!" to Erv if you see him
at the game today or tomorrow.

Louisville responded in fine fashion, though, in the bottom of the first...rocking Valpo pitcher Alex Lagesse for four hits...the key blow a one out single by Taner Fowler that drove in Jennifer Esteban and Katie Keller. Even though Fowler was thrown out trying to advance to second...Jordan Trimble followed with a deep double to center that scored Alicja Wolny and gave the Cards a 3-1 lead. 


Louisville threatened again in the bottom of the third. They filled the bases with singles from Wolny, Fowler and Trimble reaching on a error with two outs. Maggie Ruckenbrod's shot down the third base line was fielded by Joylin Ichiyama-Drewry, though...to end the Cardinal threat. 

Cardinal Volleyball star Gwen Rucker takes in the action

After Jordan Rutkowski doubled to start the fourth, Pearsall went with righty Caralisa Connell in the circle.  A single by Ichiyama-Drewry put runners at the corners but a spectacular double play started by Cardinal catcher Maggie Ruckenbrod picked off Ichiyama-Drewry at second and then short shop Whitney Arion's throw back to the plate nailed Rutkowski trying to score to get Louisville out of the inning and out of danger again. 


Louisville got a double from Esteban in the bottom of the fourth but couldn't get her home. After the early success against Lagesse, the Cards couldn't get the ball into the air against her and were clinging on to the 3-1 lead....not putting the Crusaders away.


Valpo had no intentions of going away quietly and began the fifth with a walk and a single. Connell retired the next two batters but two straight walks brought a Crusader runner to the plate and it was 3-2. Pearsall went to the bullpen again and brought closer Chelsea Leonard in to pitch. Unfortunately, Rutkowski greeted her with her second hit of the game, a single that scored two runs and put Valpo ahead 4-3. 

Cards lining up for pre-game introductions

The Cards couldn't produce against Lagesse in the fifth and sixth...grounding out six straight times and getting just one hit. After Leonard shut down Valparaiso in the top of the seventh....it was do or die time for Pearsall's players. The crowd at Ulmer was doing all it could to inspire the Cards but hits and runs were needed. 

Valparaiso celebrates taking the lead
(Photo by Lindsey Howard) 

Whitney Arion got Cards fans on their feet with a lead-off single to right and Esteban laid down a perfect bunt next that advanced Arion to second. Esteban beat the throw to first to give Louisville two on and no outs. Kristin Austin followed with a grounder to short that was fielded and tossed to third to retire Arion. Katie Keller raised the tension level with a foul pop up that was caught by Ichiyama-Drewry for out number two. 


That set the stage for Wolny, who parked a Lagesse change-up deep to right field and over the fence into the screaming outfield crowd to give the Cards the game 6-4. 


CARDS WIN, CARDS WIN !!


Louisville had 11 hits in the game -- three from Wolny and Esteban. Taner Fowler contributed two singles and Trimble, Ruckenbrod and Arion were 1-3 from the plate. 

Valparaiso gets Kentucky Saturday
(Photo by Stasia's husband) 

Leonard gets the win, improving her record to 11-1, with 2.1 innings of two hit, shutout pitching. Collins went 3 innings...allowing one run on four hits and Connell's numbers were three earned runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. 


Louisville played tonight before a crowd of 1645. Good job, Cardinal fans..of getting out and getting crazy! 


The Cards advance to play Michigan Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPN. 




Other great reads on the win: 
Creighton catches the blast


Howie Lindsey left the press box minutes before the Wolny blast and was down on the field for the momentous occasion. Here's his "take" on the game:
Wolny "knew it all along".


*******************************************


Michigan created their own excitement in the first game, getting a two-out double from designated-hitter Sara Driesenga in the bottom of the seventh to  defeat UK 3-2. The teams went through 3 1/2 scoreless innings before the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on two singles off Kentucky pitcher Chandra Bell.

Press box view from Friday's games

The Cats came back to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh but couldn't pull off the win. They'll face Valparaiso at 5:30 Saturday in a elimination game. 


Memorable quotes department:


(Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson, after the loss)


"First, I want to thank Louisville for hosting this event. I normally don't like to thank Louisville for anything but they are doing such a good job, which is pretty cool." 


All righty then. Uh, Rachel...they earned the right to host it. They were 53-3 this year and...what? They beat you twice this year? Try to do better than 4th in the East Division of the SEC next year. Maybe you'll get a shot at hosting someday..SMH.


WE'LL have full reports on today's action in Sunday's CARDINAL COUPLE...plus some possible commentary from the Cardinal Couple staff on the games later on today. 


*******************************************


The KHSAA State Track meet is also going on down at the UofL Campus...right next to the Ulmer Stadium at Cardinal Park...so traffic congestion and big crowds are the scenario for today. 

Go Cards GO! (Photo by Howlin' Wardsey)

Your best bet for softball parking is to leave your car at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and take the shuttle to Ulmer Stadium. Reports are that the parking garage across the street from Ulmer was full one hour before the softball games started yesterday. 


Today's games:


GAME 3 @ 3 p.m. -- Louisville vs. Michigan
GAME 4 @ 5:30 p.m. -- Kentucky vs. Valparaiso
GAME 5 @ 8 p.m. -- loser of Game 3 plays winner of Game 4.


*******************************************


Speed didn't seem to be holding up well at Pimilico yesterday in races on the dirt...so it could be a good day for closing horses on today's card...especially in the Preakness. The tight turns and short stretch at the Maryland track sometimes tend to show favoritism to horses that can get out and go early...but several distances races yesterday saw off-the-pace closers coming flying down the 330 yd. stretch and overtake early pace-setters.


Conditions could change today...but in the Preakness...if the closers do well in earlier races -- watch out for I'll Have Another, Creative Cause and Went the Day Well. 


Not much is being said about contestant Teeth of the Dog in the Preakness. He came flying late in his last race..the Wood Memorial...to finish third behind Derby Runners Gemologist and Alpha. 


Neither of those two are in the Preakness. Neither ran that great in the Kentucky Derby, either...so, let the toteboard be your guide on "Teeth". 


Post time is 6:20. 
.
..
...

Thursday Cardinal Couple - Valparaiso Softball

.
THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Know the foe: Valparaiso Crusaders 


-Preakness Stakes Saturday


-Another ATayy episode

The University of Louisville Softball team will face the Valparaiso Crusaders in the first round of the NCAA Regional Softball tournament at Ulmer Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday evening. Valparaiso is a member of the Horizon League conference and went 42-17 during the regular season and conference tournament. They finished first in regular season play with a 19-5 conference record and won the Horizon Tournament. 

Alex Lagesse has a 1.98 ERA in
35 starts for Valpo

They captured the tournament after losing in first round play. Unlike the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, the Horizon League is double elimination...like the NCAA Regionals. Held at Valparaiso Stadium, the Crusaders lost to Butler 6-1 in their first game...but advanced through the losers bracket and met Loyola-Chicago in the finals. They had to win twice...and did, beating Loyola with successive 2-1 scores on Sunday, May 13th. 


The northern Indiana school has played one common BIG EAST opponent with the Cards...losing at Notre Dame before their conference play began. 

Sam McGee had a 2.81 ERA
in 23 starts for Valpo

In the pitching circle for Valpo, Alex Lagesse and Sam McGee share the duties. Lagesse, a senior from Beecher, IL. had a 22-9 record for the Crusaders, appearing in 42 games and starting 35 of them. She fanned 162 batters and was the starter and winning pitcher in the Horizon League Conference championship game. McGee is also a senior and was 15-5 for Valparaiso this year. She hails from Bloomington, MN and had 23 starts and 26 appearances this season. She struck out 79 opponents and was the starting pitcher in the Crusaders first game Sunday. 

Rutkowski has 14
home runs this year

When Valparaiso goes to the plate, Jordan Rutkowski does the most damage against opposing pitchers. She is batting .428 this season and had a team-high 14 home runs and 60 RBI's. The senior catcher is from Alden, NY.


Brittany Duncan is Valpo's designated hitter and also plays infield. She was second on the team with a .388 batting average and had 9 home runs and 51 RBI's...good for second place in all three stats. Duncan is just a freshman and calls Fairborn, OH her hometown. Jessica Marinec hits .331 for the Crusaders and plays second base. She led the squad with 44 runs scored and is a junior out of Alsip, IL. 

Stevens has Valpo on a
upward swing 

This will be Valparaiso's first-ever apperance in the NCAA Tournament and some of the credit goes to second year head coach Jordan Stevens. Stevens came from D III school Union (NY) College and has 76 wins in his two years as the Valpo skipper. 

Will Cards leading hitter Kristin
Austin be in the starting lineup?

No small task for the Crusaders, having to face the BIG EAST regular season and conference champs at their home field to start the NCAA Tournament. Louisville certainly cannot afford to overlook Valparaiso, though...and the Cards will need to get out the bats early and set the pace in this one. Not sure how right-fielder Kristin Austin is doing with the hamstring injury...but it wouldn't be a bad thing to have a .400 hitter out there against Valpo. 


We won't try to guess who Coach Pearsall will start in the circle for this one...but we'd like to see torrid Tori Collins out there. Means she'll probably go with Caralisa Connell...either is capable of ending the Crusaders conquest. 


*******************************************

The Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown for 3 year olds...will take place Saturday at Pimlico Race Track in Maryland. Bodemeister has been confirmed as an entry and will try to turn the tables on Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another. 


Much ado each year about changing the format of the Triple Crown. Dropping Maryland and Pimlico and going to California or Chicago for the second leg. Fagettaboutit. Unless you've been to the Preakness at Pimlico, you can't really understand the pride, the tradition and historical value of this leg of the Triple Crown. We've had the fortune of going twice. We'll go again, someday.  


11 horses will contest the mile and 3/16ths course. Post positions:


1. Tiger Walk                         7. Bodemeister
2. Teeth of the Dog               8. Daddy Nose Best
3. Pretension                         9. I'll Have Another
4. Zetterholm                       10. Optimizer
5. Went the Day Well            11. Cozzetti
6. Creative Cause




There's also some pretty good racing out there on Friday. A 13 race card with eight stakes races. Their version of Kentucky Oaks Day for the fillies. The Miss Preakness S stakes, Black Eyed Susan and Pimlico Special headline the card. 


Churchill Downs is running both days as well and it's a great opportunity for you to get out and watch the best in live racing and simulcasting.

If you go, stop by and say "Hi!" to Jo-An at the paddock bar on the first floor inside next to the bricks where they saddle the horses . She'll be mixing up Black-Eyed Susans both days and they're not bad at all. Just ask Sonja. She'll want to know how you knew her name. Point to her name-tag first and then tell her Paul and Sonja sent you. Maybe she'll still serve you. It's a souvenir glass...can't beat that.  


We'll have our Preakness picks for you tomorrow. Read them at your own risk. David Watson, always one step ahead, has already sent his to us. He likes:


1) Optimizer - Gotta stay with D.Wayne Lukas
2) Creative Cause - Wasn't that bad in Derby
3) I'll Have Another - Not enough distance to close
4) Bodemeister - Speed won't hold like at Churchill

Great. Now we got Watson thinking he's a handicapper. With comments even. Pretty soon, he'll be forecasting BIG EAST Football and analyzing NASCAR races. 


Just another sign that the Apocalypse isn't too far away... 


*******************************************

Finally, ATayy is back with another episode. This time she gets in front of the camera to do a Cardinal flavored version of MTV Cribs. The highlight is when she picks up a British accent and invades Sherrone Vails' room for a surprise visit to see how she is "in her natural habitat." Nita Slaughter co-stars in the latest video. Funny stuff! 


We fear she'll show up at our secret lair deep beneath the Parrish House one day for a expose on how CARDINAL COUPLE is written. WE have the staff chimps and Bill the Goat on 24/7 DEFCON 5 alert status for her. Poobah has been instructed to run a diversion if it happens and show her and the film crew 80 Under 80 instead...along with serving snacks and Snapple. No Bud Select for these girls. 


Link below:


A-Tayy's Cribs

..
..