Senior catcher Melissa Roth belted out two home
runs, but it wasn’t enough as the 14th ranked University of Louisville
softball team fell to host No. 25 Oklahoma State 7-2 Friday evening.
Roth's first home run of the game gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the
first. The senior catcher sent her third home run of the season over the
left center fence to put Louisville on the scoreboard.
The Cowgirls used six hits to score five runs in the bottom of the
second. Tamara Brown’s leadoff home run evened the score at 1-1. Megan
Castle and Chelsea Garcia delivered back-to-back hits and moved on
Kelsey Anchors sacrifice bunt. Mariah Gearhart and Katelyn Bright
connected on RBI singles to shallow left field. Julie Ward’s two-run
double made it a 5-1 game.
Oklahoma State added a pair of runs in the fourth when Gearhart reached
on an infield single, took second on an error and scored on Hamilton’s
double. A wild pitch sent Hamilton to third and she scored on Amy
Graham’s single, giving the Cowgirls a 7-1 lead.
Roth led off the sixth with her second homer of the game, a towering
shot over centerfield to make the score 7-2.
Kristen Wadwell (5-2) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on
seven hits in 3.0 innings. Roth finished the game with a 2 for 3
performance at the plate.
Anna Whiddon (9-2) got the complete win, allowing two earned runs on
four hits and striking out 13 batters. Bright and Gearhart each had two
hits for the Cowgirls (12-5).
U of L (13-3) will compete in the Preview featuring Bedlam Tournament
at the ASA/USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium Saturday. The Cards will
play Nevada at 11 a.m. and No. 8/11 Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m.
