Pitt Drops Doubleheader at Louisville

Friday, April 17

Louisville, KY

5 PM

Pitt

21-22, 7-12

Louisville

36-9, 11-5

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

Pitt Drops Doubleheader at Louisville

4/17/2026 9:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pitt dropped both games of a doubleheader to Louisville Friday evening at Ulmer Stadium.

Game One: Louisville 9, Pitt 1
Pitt fell to Louisville in a run-rule decision after the Cardinals used an early surge and a three-run fifth inning to secure the victory.

Louisville struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Bri Despines delivered a two-run triple before Madison Pickens followed with an RBI single to give the Cardinals an early advantage.

Calle Henne led off the top of the second with a standup double, but Pitt was unable to capitalize. Gwen Sparks settled in during the bottom half, retiring Louisville in order. The Cardinals threatened again in the third, loading the bases, but a lineout to Tieley Vaughn at second base ended the inning and stranded three runners.

Louisville extended its lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning on an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly.

Pitt broke through in the fifth inning, manufacturing a run with a double steal. Alena Ball stole second, and Gracie Helton raced home from third when Louisville's throw to second was unable to apply the tag, putting the Panthers on the board.

The Cardinals responded in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with a double and two walks. Back-to-back walks forced in two runs before Madison Pickens delivered a walk-off RBI single to secure the run-rule victory.

Alyssa Zabala earned the win in the circle for Louisville, while Sparks was charged with the loss. Pickens led the Cardinals, going 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, and three RBI while Alena Ball went 2-for-4

Game Two: Louisville 10, Pitt 2
The Panthers got off to a strong start in the nightcap, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. Tieley Vaughn led off with a single, and Alena Ball reached on a throwing error by the third baseman. Calle Henne followed with a bunt single to bring in the first run, and KK Esparza added a sacrifice fly to give Pitt a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.

Louisville responded quickly with a four-run bottom of the first. The Cardinals used Bri Despines' triple, an RBI single from Madison Pickens, and took advantage of two Pitt errors to turn the deficit into a 4-2 advantage.

Kyra Pittman worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second to keep Pitt within striking distance, but Louisville broke the game open in the third with another four-run frame, highlighted by a two-run double from Pickens, a run-scoring single from Taylor Monroe, and an RBI double from Ava Venturelli.

Pitt threatened in the fourth after back-to-back walks from Addison Toczek and Vaughn, and Toczek stole third, but Louisville's defense escaped the jam with consecutive foul popouts to end the inning.

Louisville added insurance in the fifth, beginning with a solo home run from Pickens. The Cardinals then brought the game to an end on a Riley Janda RBI single, securing the 10-2 run-rule victory.

Pitt and Louisville will wrap up the series on Sunday. The game will air on ACC Network at 4 p.m.