Friday, April 17
LOUISVILLE, KY
5:00 PM
University of Louisville
36-9, 11-5
9
vs
1
University of Pittsburgh
21-22, 7-12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Louisville | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 1 |
Photo by: Mason Seidt | Louisville Athletics
Cards Secure Series With Two Run-Rule Victories Over Pitt on Friday
April 17, 2026 | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Madison Pickens went 7-for-7 with seven RBIs across the University of Louisville softball team's two run-rule victories over Pittsburgh on Friday night at Ulmer Stadium. UofL (37-9, 12-5 ACC) won the games 9-1 and 10-2, both in five innings.
Pickens went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double and a triple in game one, and went 3-for-3 with a single, a double and a home run in game two. Alyssa Zabala (11-4) and Brooke Gray (11-1) each picked up their 11th wins of the season after they both went 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and just one earned run allowed between them in the games. Bri Despines knocked in four runs during the first game and one during the second. Game one featured two broken records for the Cards. Chelsea Mack swiped her 36th stolen base of the season to become the single-season stolen base leader, and Jordan Williams grabbed a hit in her 17th and 18th consecutive games for the longest hitting streak in Louisville history.
After a leadoff three up, three down inning from Zabala, Mack started the bottom of the first with a walk and promptly stole second. Lotus singled to move Mack over to third, and Despines dropped a triple into left-center field to plate both runners. Pickens singled in Despines before Williams followed with her record-breaking single, but the Cards did not plate another run and finished the inning up 3-0.
A quiet second inning was followed by a third inning that featured Pickens' second RBI of the day, a double that plated Despines once again. The momentum flowed into the fourth as Zabala retired three of four batters faced, and Mack dropped in a bunt single to start the home frame. Lotus knocked a triple of her own to send Mack home, and Despines brought in Lotus with a sacrifice fly to extend the UofL lead to 6-0.
Pitt scored just one run in the top of the fifth, but Monroe grabbed a stand-up double to start the bottom half. Monroe moved to third on a wild pitch, and Ava Venturelli joined her after her second free pass of the day. Addy O'Dell replaced Venturelli on the basepaths, and a walk to Mack loaded the bases. Back-to-back walks to Lotus and Despines brought home Monroe and O'Dell, and Pickens drove in Mack with her second single of the game to finish out the run-rule victory.
Pitt capitalized off of defensive miscues to plate two runs in the top of the first inning to begin game two. Louisville responded quickly after Despines tripled in Lotus, and Pickens singled to bring in Despines and Lookadoo. Williams added to the Cards' new lead with a single that sent Pickens home and ended the inning 4-2 in favor of UofL.
Louisville plated another four runs in the bottom of the third, with Pickens starting it off by doubling in Despines and Lookadoo. Consecutive hits from Monroe and Venturelli allowed the second pair of runs to score and extended the Cards' lead to 8-2.
The Panthers looked to threaten in the top of the fifth, but Anna Wise entered and struck out three straight batters to leave the bases loaded and prevent another Pitt run. Pickens homered to begin the bottom frame before the bases loaded for Riley Janda to knock the walk off single up the middle.
Louisville and Pitt will complete the series on Sunday, April 19, at 4 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Pickens went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double and a triple in game one, and went 3-for-3 with a single, a double and a home run in game two. Alyssa Zabala (11-4) and Brooke Gray (11-1) each picked up their 11th wins of the season after they both went 4.0 innings with four strikeouts and just one earned run allowed between them in the games. Bri Despines knocked in four runs during the first game and one during the second. Game one featured two broken records for the Cards. Chelsea Mack swiped her 36th stolen base of the season to become the single-season stolen base leader, and Jordan Williams grabbed a hit in her 17th and 18th consecutive games for the longest hitting streak in Louisville history.
After a leadoff three up, three down inning from Zabala, Mack started the bottom of the first with a walk and promptly stole second. Lotus singled to move Mack over to third, and Despines dropped a triple into left-center field to plate both runners. Pickens singled in Despines before Williams followed with her record-breaking single, but the Cards did not plate another run and finished the inning up 3-0.
A quiet second inning was followed by a third inning that featured Pickens' second RBI of the day, a double that plated Despines once again. The momentum flowed into the fourth as Zabala retired three of four batters faced, and Mack dropped in a bunt single to start the home frame. Lotus knocked a triple of her own to send Mack home, and Despines brought in Lotus with a sacrifice fly to extend the UofL lead to 6-0.
Pitt scored just one run in the top of the fifth, but Monroe grabbed a stand-up double to start the bottom half. Monroe moved to third on a wild pitch, and Ava Venturelli joined her after her second free pass of the day. Addy O'Dell replaced Venturelli on the basepaths, and a walk to Mack loaded the bases. Back-to-back walks to Lotus and Despines brought home Monroe and O'Dell, and Pickens drove in Mack with her second single of the game to finish out the run-rule victory.
Pitt capitalized off of defensive miscues to plate two runs in the top of the first inning to begin game two. Louisville responded quickly after Despines tripled in Lotus, and Pickens singled to bring in Despines and Lookadoo. Williams added to the Cards' new lead with a single that sent Pickens home and ended the inning 4-2 in favor of UofL.
Louisville plated another four runs in the bottom of the third, with Pickens starting it off by doubling in Despines and Lookadoo. Consecutive hits from Monroe and Venturelli allowed the second pair of runs to score and extended the Cards' lead to 8-2.
The Panthers looked to threaten in the top of the fifth, but Anna Wise entered and struck out three straight batters to leave the bases loaded and prevent another Pitt run. Pickens homered to begin the bottom frame before the bases loaded for Riley Janda to knock the walk off single up the middle.
Louisville and Pitt will complete the series on Sunday, April 19, at 4 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zabala, Alyssa (11-4)
L: Sparks, Gwen (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Frazier, Shelby 1 ; Henne, Calle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Helton, Gracie 1
SB: Ball, Alena 1 ; Helton, Gracie 1
Batting:
2B: Monroe, Taylor 2 ; Pickens, Madison 1
3B: Lotus, Easton 1 ; Despines, Bri 1 ; Pickens, Madison 1
RBI: Lotus, Easton 2 ; Despines, Bri 4 ; Pickens, Madison 3
SH: Lookadoo, Camryn 1
SF: Despines, Bri 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mack, Chelsea 3 ; Lotus, Easton 2 ; Monroe, Taylor 1 ; Despines, Bri 2 ; O'Dell, Addy 1
SB: Mack, Chelsea 1 ; Lotus, Easton 1 ; O'Dell, Addy 1
HBP: Venturelli, Ava 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
4
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
C/UT
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF/C
/ SoftballC/UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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