Softball Set to Host Kentucky :: Cards will play Wildcats in a single game Wednesdasy at 5 p.m.

March 25, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team will take on in-state rival Kentucky on March 26 at Ulmer Stadium. Fans are encouraged to wear red as they support the Cardinals.

About Louisville: The Cardinals enter the game with a 13-12 overall record. U of L is batting .268 as a team and outscoring opponents 183-133. Sophomore catcher Melissa Roth leads the Cards offensively wiht a .416 average, 12 doubles, 21 runs and five stolen bases.

Freshman Chelsea Bemis follows with a .356 average and a team-leading 21 RBIs and three home runs.

Sophomore Kristen Wadwell (6-7) has a 2.14 ERA and is holding opponents to a .216 batting average with 68 strikeouts in 95.0 innings of work. Junior Kassie Stanfill (5-4) carries a 2.61 ERA with 67 Ks in 64.1 innings. She is limiting opponents to a .201 batting average.

Up Last: The Cards are coming off of a 1-1 showing at the Indiana University Softball Classic. On Friday, Louisville spotted Illinois-Chicago a 7-0 lead, but managed to score four runs in an 8-4 loss to the Flames. U of L rebounded for a 9-3 win over the host Hoosiers in game two. Saturday's games were cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Louisville (13-12) vs. Kentucky (13-13)
Series Record: Kentucky leads 12-8
Last Meeting: March 5, 2008 - U of L won 6-1 in Lexington.
• The last time UK came to Ulmer Stadium (April 11, 2007), the game was a marathon affair that included an hour rain/hail delay and lasted nine innings. The Cards prevailed 7-6 to get the win.

Scouting the Wildcats: UK enters the game with a 13-13 record. The Cats are coming off of a three-game sweep by SEC opponent and No. 2-ranked Alabama. Kentucky is batting .284 as a team with Molly Johnson's .410 average leading the way. Johnson also has a team-best three home runs, seven doubles, eight stolen bases and 18 RBI. Natalie Smith follows with a .372 average and 19 runs. Audrey Meyer (.328) and Megan Yocke (.304) round out the over .300 hitters.

Amber Matousek (7-8) has shouldered the bulk of the pitching duties for the Cats. The sophomore has a 3.79 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 105.1 innings. Jennifer Young (3-3) carries a 3.94 ERA with 12 Ks in 37.1 innings of work

Up Next for Louisville: The Cardinals will open BIG EAST Conference play with a double header against Seton Hall on Friday, March 28 at 4 p.m. at Ulmer Stadium. League opponent St. John's will visit U of L for a twinbill Sunday at 11 a.m.

Bemis on BIG EAST Honor Roll
Freshman third baseman Chelsea Bemis was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on March 24. The San Diego, Calif. native batted .333 (2-for-6) on the week with two home runs, eight RBI and seven walks and three runs. In addition, she registered a team-leading 1.333 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage. She tied a school record with four walks in the 5-4, 8 inning win over Minnesota. She reached in all four games and scored a run in three of the four games Louisville played. Bemis posted two homers on the weekend, including a three-run shot in the 9-3 win over host Indiana on Friday. She currently leads the team with 27 RBI and is tied with three homers and is second on the team with a .361 average and eight doubles.