Cards Prepare for Second Installment of Battle of the Bluegrass

Wednesday, April 22

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

University of Kentucky

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Taylor Monroe beats the throw at first during the game against Kentucky at John Cropp Stadium on March 25.

Photo by: Nicole Finch | Louisville Athletics

Cards Prepare for Second Installment of Battle of the Bluegrass

April 21, 2026 | Softball

Louisville Game Notes

By: Erin Hughes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville softball team (38-9, 13-5 ACC) will welcome Kentucky (25-25, 1-20 SEC) for the second installment of the Battle of the Bluegrass on Wednesday, April 22 at Ulmer Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ACCNX.

The Cards are coming off of a three-game sweep of conference foe, Pitt, last weekend and won each game in five-inning run-rule fashion. Chelsea Mack, Jordan Williams, Madison Pickens and Easton Lotus each set records for UofL over the weekend.

Mack became the new record holder for most stolen bases in a single season, ending the series with 37 total - a number that sits her second nationally and first in the ACC. Jordan Williams logged hits in each game to extend her streak to 19 straight games and take over first place in the record book. Pickens rocketed to the top of the single-season RBI leaderboard after knocking in seven RBIs last Friday and three more on Sunday to bring her season total to 62. Easton Lotus finished her on-base streak at 40 straight games, surpassing the original record of 35 games.

Louisville and Kentucky are facing off for the second time this season, with the Cards plating five unanswered runs to win game one 8-7 in nine innings in Lexington. The win over the Wildcats marked UofL's first win in Lexington since 2015 and the first win over UK since 2019.

QUICK HITS

Chelsea Mack leads the team with a .453 batting average, tallying 72 hits in 159 at-bats, 54 runs scored, 37 stolen bases, and 18 RBIs. Her 37 stolen bases rank second in the NCAA.
Madison Pickens is second on the team with a .439 average, collecting 65 hits, 49 runs, 15 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, and 62 RBIs.
Bri Despines is third on the team with a .392 average, posting 55 hits, 14 doubles, and 55 RBIs, with a .720 slugging percentage. Camryn Lookadoo is fourth with a .402 average and leads the team with 19 doubles.
Louisville leads the ACC in stolen bases (105) and triples (25), and is second in the conference in on-base percentage (.450). The Cards rank second in the ACC with a .359 batting average.
Through 44 games, five Cardinals have at least 30 RBIs and six have recorded at least 40 hits.
Sophomore Anna Wise leads the Louisville pitching staff with a 2.75 ERA and eight wins in 61 innings pitched, giving up just 24 earned runs and striking out 43 so far.
Senior Alyssa Zabala leads the team with 85 strikeouts and 12 wins in 102.2 innings. She has made a team-high 33 appearances in 17 starts, limiting opponents to a .244 batting average.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

Series Record: Louisville trails 21-25
Last Meeting: March 25, 2026 - Louisville tied the game in the seventh inning with three runs to take the game into extras and secure its first win in Lexington since 2015 with a score of 8-7
Scouting the Wildcats: Kentucky comes into the matchup with a 25-25 (1-20 SEC) record on the year. As a team, Kentucky is hitting .273 with 348 hits, 66 doubles, 13 triples, and 54 home runs, producing 209 RBI across 50 games. The Wildcats have drawn 118 walks and stolen 48 bases (48-for-55).
Karissa Hamilton leads the lineup with a .325 average, 52 hits, 11 doubles, six triples, and nine home runs, while pacing the team with 44 RBI over 50 starts. Allie Blum is hitting .377 with a team-high 57 hits, adding 37 runs scored and 13 stolen bases (13-for-15).
Carly Sleeman provides power in the middle of the order with 13 home runs and 35 RBI, alongside a .351 batting average. Peyton Plotts contributes across the board with a .281 average, 28 RBI, and nine home runs, while starting all 50 games.
Kentucky's pitching staff holds a 4.26 ERA with 250 strikeouts, but has allowed 362 hits and 234 runs. In the circle, Sarah Haendiges leads with 102 strikeouts over 106.2 innings and a 3.87 ERA, while Hailey Nutter owns a 3.67 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 63 innings.