Photo by Jared Anderson
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Louisville has strong defensive outing to back hensley

Megan Hensley tossed a two-hitter in a full game as Louisville (33-19) defeated Syracuse 2-1 in the first round of the ACC Tournament.  The 8-seeded Cardinals advance to face Florida State tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

Louisville struggled offensively, totaling four hits, but made the most of them with their two runs.  Nicole Pufahl walked to lead off the second inning and advanced to second on Celene Funke's sacrifice bunt.  Kyra Snyder's base hit to center field drove Pufahl home for the first run of the game.

In the third inning, Maddy Newman singled and stole second.  Jenna Jordan's two out double to right field scored Newman and gave the Cards a two-run lead.

The Orange scored their only run on a solo home run in the fourth inning.  They managed two other base runners on the game, a single in the single and a hit by pitch in the fourth, but had no success in driving them in.

Hensley faced 24 batters, 21 of them outs.  She struck out five while getting nine flyouts and seven ground outs.

The Cards will hope to continue their ACC run when they take on the Florida State Seminoles, who swept the Cards in Tallahassee in April, in the second round of the tournament.  Louisville is a bubble team in terms of an NCAA Tournament bid.  An upset over 1-seeded and 10th-ranked Florida State will certainly improve their chances.

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