DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Louisville
DePaul Comes Up Short in Home Opener
3/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
March 30, 2011
Bluetube - Highlights
CHICAGO - A little history was made Wednesday in Lincoln Park with the first NCAA softball game ever played at the new Cacciatore Stadium.
If only the outcome had been a little different.
An uncharacteristic three errors by DePaul led to a 2-1 loss to Louisville in the first game of a nonconference double-header.
DePaul (17-9) scored first when Lynsey Ciezki led off the third inning with a walk. The junior third baseman advanced to third on a passed ball and groundout and came home on Alex Morocco's clutch slap hit to shortstop.
Morocco was called out for leaving the base early on the next pitch to end the inning. Ciezki gets the honor of scoring the first run in the new Cacciatore Stadium and Morocco get the very first RBI.
Hannah Kiyohara reached on an error to lead off the sixth for Louisville. Power hitter Alicja Wolny fouled out to left field. Another error gave the Cardinals runners on first and second with one out. Maggie Ruckenbrod's single and an error with the ball deflecting into the dugout allowed two runs to score.
Louisville (22-10) had a runner on third base with two out in the second and third inning, but DePaul starter Kirsten Verdun (9-3) kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard.
Sean Plese led off the fourth with an infield hit and took second on an error. But the Blue Demon senior was picked off second base.
Chelsea Bemis led off the fifth with a single to left field and gave way to pinch-runner Katelyn Mann. A groundout sent Mann to second, and then Verdun induced a popup and another groundout to close out the inning.
Lynsey Ciezki ripped a one-out double to right field in the bottom of the fifth. A Marla Mathews groundout to third advanced Ciezki to third. But Brittney Yniguez got caught looking on an inside fastball for strike three to end the threat.
