The University of Louisville softball team, boasting a strong 35-17 record, has secured the No. 4 seed in the ACC tournament after finishing the regular season with a commendable 16-7 mark in ACC play. The Cardinals, currently ranked No. 24 in the D1Softball poll and No. 25 in the Softball America coaches poll, have shown promise throughout the season and are receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches poll.
Among the notable Cardinals is Sarah Gordon, the ACC Softball Freshman of the Year, who also made it to the Tucci/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 List. Joining Gordon on the All-ACC first team are Korbe Otis and Taylor Roby. Second-team honors went to Daisy Hess, while Easton Lotus and Alyssa Zabala were recognized on the third team. Both Gordon and Zabala were named to the ACC All-Freshmen Team.
Roby has been a standout performer, tying for the national lead with a school-record 22 home runs this season. She also holds the school’s career record with 62 home runs, tying for seventh among the active NCAA career leaders. Otis, another key player, leads the team with a .399 batting average, 67 hits, and an ACC-best 61 runs. The leadoff hitter is a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen bases and is tied for third in the nation with seven triples.
In the pitching department, Zabala leads the team with 14 wins and 87 strikeouts in 116 innings. Roby also shines with a team-best 2.42 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 110 innings. Overall, the team has demonstrated offensive power, batting .317 with five players hitting above .300 this season.
Head coach Holly Aprile, in her fifth season at the helm, has guided the Cardinals to 128 wins, including an NCAA regional final appearance in 2019. She is just one win away from her 400th career victory. Aprile, the 2018 ACC Coach of the Year, has made significant strides with the team, leading them to their most wins since 2019 when they finished with a 35-23 record.
Their upcoming match is against Virginia Tech, who currently lead the series 15-8. The last meeting saw Virginia Tech sweep the three-game series. However, with a strong roster and steady performance this season, the Cardinals are poised to put up a strong fight.
Louisville finished the regular season against third-ranked Florida State last weekend. Despite losses in all three games, the Cardinals demonstrated resilience, especially in their final game, a narrow 2-1 loss.
The NCAA softball bracket field of 64 will be revealed on Sunday, May 14 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, determining the Cardinals’ next challenge in this exciting season.
