Denzer Walk-Off Homer Lifts Louisville Past Jackson 7-6 – Softball
Louisville 7, Jackson 6
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The Louisville Leopards Girls Varsity Softball Team earned a thrilling 7-6 victory over the visiting Jackson Polar Bears Friday at West Main Vet Clinic Field. With the victory, Louisville improves to 3-2 on the season.
Denzer Hits Walk-Off in 7th
Junior third baseman Kenzi Denzer hit a walk-off solo homer to center field with 1 out in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Lady Leopards to their third win of the season. Denzer rounded third, giving a low five to elated Louisville head coach Kristen Miller, before she was mobbed by her teammates at home plate.
The round tripper was Denzer’s second of the season and seventh of her varsity career.
Benson and Campbell Homer as LHS Builds Early Lead
Jackson pushed a run across in the opening frame, but junior shortstop Matti Benson answered with a solo shot to center field to knot the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first. The blast was Benson’s team leading third home run of the season and 21st of her varsity career as a Leopard.
Louisville added 4 runs in the bottom of the second inning to build a commanding 5-1 advantage. Junior pitcher Katie Heath led off the inning and landed on second base after an error by the center fielder. Sophomore designated player Chay Cline followed with an RBI single to right field plating sophomore courtesy runner Olivia Mongiardo to give the Lady Leopards their first lead of the contest.
Three pitches later, freshman catcher Addy Campbell cracked her first career varsity home run on a fly ball to left field. The 2-run shot put Louisville in front 4-1 as Campbell became the fourth different Lady Leopard to homer on the season.
With no outs in the frame, Louisville looked to add to their lead. Benson walked, freshman second baseman Kaitlin Twinem was hit by a pitch, and freshman first baseman Anna Sirohman singled to load the bases. Junior center fielder Brooke Haren followed with an RBI ground out to first base that brought home Benson to make it 5-1.
Polar Bears Roar Back with 4-Run Third
The Lady Bears rallied with 4 runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. Sophomore third baseman Morgan Christopher hit a 2-run single bringing in senior first baseman Julia Gossett and senior left fielder Chloe Christensen to cut the Jackson deficit in half. Christopher would finish 3-for-4 to lead the Polar Bears for the game and singled home Gossett in the first inning as well.
In the next at-bat, senior second baseman Ashley Hauritz singled home Christopher to trim the lead to 5-4 and advanced to second via an error. Hauritz then stole third and then scored the game-tying run on another Louisville defensive miscue.
Each Team Tacks on Another Run
The Lady Leopards answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Sirohman led off the inning with a single to left field and then advanced into scoring position courtesy of a wild pitch. Haren then drove in Sirohman on a single to right field to put Louisville back in front at 6-5.
Neither team was able to score over the next two innings and Jackson found themselves down to their final out. That’s when Hauritz delivered a 2-out RBI single to left field bringing home Gossett for the third time in the contest. The clutch hit tied the game at 6-6 setting up Denzer’s heroics in the last of the seventh.
Louisville Out-Hits Jackson 10-8
The Leopards out-hit the Polar Bears 10-8 for the game. Campbell, Haren, and Sirohman all finished with 2 hits each for Louisville.
Christopher finished with 3 of Jackson’s 8 hits. Christensen and Hauritz both recorded a pair of hits as well. Christensen also registered the Polar Bears only extra base-hit when she cracked a double to lead off the third inning.
Leopards Vs. Polar Bears Softball History
The victory snaps the Lady Leopards four game losing streak against the Lady Bears. Louisville is now 19-33 against Jackson all-time dating back to their first meeting in 1985, when both teams were playing in the Federal League. The Leopards are also 11-13 against the Polar Bears when playing at home in the series.
UP NEXT: The Lady Leopards will next travel to take on the Minerva Lions for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 8. Game times are slated for Noon and 2:00 PM from West Main Vet Clinic Field.
Cover Photo By The Louisville Herald
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Jackson at Louisville Softball Box Score
LEOPARDS 7, POLAR BEARS 6
Team 123-456-7–R-H-E
Jackson 104-000-1–6-8-3
Louisville 140-100-1–7-10-3
JACKSON POLAR BEARS SOFTBALL VARSITY BATTING STATS
| LINEUP | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
| C Christensen (LF) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A Sin (RF) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Gossett (1B) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| M Christopher (3B) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| J Hendrickson (3B) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A Hauritz (2B) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| A Wright | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A Snow (SS) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| R Fletcher (C) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A Dixon (CF) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M Veno (CF) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 29 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
2B: C Christensen
TB: A Hauritz 2, C Christensen 3, A Sin 1, M Christopher 3
SB: A Hauritz, J Gossett, M Christopher 3
CS: C Christensen
E: A Dixon, A Snow 2
JACKSON POLAR BEARS SOFTBALL VARSITY PITCHING STATS
| PITCHING | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| K Lippencott | 6.1 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
WP: K Lippencott
HBP: K Lippencott 3
Pitches-Strikes: K Lippencott 114-70
Batters Faced: K Lippencott 37
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS SOFTBALL VARSITY BATTING STATS
| LINEUP | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
| K Denzer (3B) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| M Benson (SS) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| K Twinem (2B) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A Sirohman (1B) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B Haren (CF) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| M Baker (LF) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T Thompson (LF) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K Heath (P) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C Cline (F10) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| A Campbell (C) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 31 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
HR: A Campbell, M Benson, K Denzer
TB: A Campbell 5, M Benson 4, A Sirohman 2, K Twinem 1, C Cline 1, B Haren 2, K Denzer 4
HBP: A Campbell, K Twinem, K Denzer
SB: M Benson
E: A Campbell, A Sirohman, B Haren
LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS SOFTBALL VARSITY PITCHING STATS
| PITCHING | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| K Heath(W) | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
WP: K Heath
Pitches-Strikes: K Heath 113-68
Batters Faced: K Heath 33
Records: Louisville 3-2
