Junior Alison Szydlowski drove in the final three runs of the game to help the University of Louisville softball team rally from a 3-1 deficit to beat host NC State 4-3 in eight innings Saturday evening. With the win, the Cardinals clinch the series and improve to 30-18 on the season and 13-8 in ACC play. The teams will conclude the regular season Sunday at 12 p.m.
With her team down 3-1 with one out in the seventh, Szydlowski connected a two-run home run to even the score and then delivered an RBI hit in the eighth for the go-ahead run. Senior Maryssa Becker (21-10) went the distance to pick up the win, striking out allowing three earned runs on nine hits. She also went 3-for-4 at the plate.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals broke through with a run in the second when junior Jenna Jordan earned a one-out walk and came around to score on freshman Caitlin Ferguson’s double down the left field line.
The Wolfpack (17-36, 10-13 ACC) answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the second. Cheyenne Balzer drew a leadoff walk and Haylee Kobziak followed with a base hit. On out later, a walk to Molly Martin loaded the bases for Macauley Prickett’s RBI groundout. Jade Caraway send a grounder to third where junior Alison Szydlowski fielded and threw to Jordan at catcher, but she was unable to make the tag as Kolziak crossed the plate to put NC State up 2-1.
NC State added another run in the sixth when Jessica Moore connected on a two-out single and Martin was hit by a pitch for a pinch hit RBI single by Brittany Nimmo which increased the lead to 3-1.
The Cards countered in the top of the seventh when Jordan singled and Szydlowski crushed a shot over the centerfield fence for her second home run in as many days to tie the game at 3-3.
The Wolfpack had an opportunity to score in the bottom of the seventh when Tyler Ross led off with a single, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Molly Hutchison and moved to third on Alyssa Compton’s groundout . Cheyenne Balzer was intentionally walked to put two runners on with two outs, but Becker delivered her fifth strikeout of the game to send the game to extra innings.
The Cardinals’ rally continued in the top of the eighth as hits by Becker, senior Tiarra Sanabria and Jordan loaded the bases. Ferguson reached on a fielder’s choice which saw Becker out at the plate for the second out of the inning to keep the bases loaded for Szydlowski who sent a hit up the middle to bring Sanabria home and give Louisville a 4-3 lead.
Becker and the Louisville defense retired the Wolfpack in order in the eighth to clinch the series for the
Cards.
“I’m really pleased with the fight our team showed,” said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. “Alison has played well all weekend and really came through for us today. I thought Maryssa did a nice job for us both on the mound and at the plate. We played well defensively against an NC State team that can consistently put the ball in play.”
The victory gives the Cardinals their 14th-straight and 16th overall 30-win season in the 18 years of the program.
Peyton Silverman (12-22) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits and striking out three in eight innings. Caraway went 2-for-4 with an RBI to pace the Wolfpack at the plate.
Lori Korte
Assistant Sports Information Director