Louisville Downs Bradley, 6-0

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Junior Emma Jackson took a one-hit shutout into the fifth inning, but four Bradley errors and a four-hit shutout by Louisville pitcher Megan Hensley led to a 6-0 victory for the Cardinals as the Braves wrapped up play at the Tennessee Invitational Monday.

Bradley (5-9 overall) came up empty after a Gabby Stoner double in the first and had its best scoring opportunity of the game in the second.  Sophomore Taise Thompson drew a walk to leadoff the inning and the Braves had runners at first and second with no outs after freshman Samantha Smith reached on a fielder’s choice.  With runners at second and third and one out, Thompson was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice and Hensley got a groundout to end the BU threat.

Jackson had to work out of a jam in the top of the third.  A one-out walk to Riley Schindler and two-out Celene Funke double gave the Cardinals runners at second and third with two outs.  After falling behind Hensley 3-1, Jackson got a flyout during an eight-pitch at bat to get out of the inning unscathed.

The teams had combined for three hits and neither squad scored during the first four frames before Louisville (7-5 overall) took advantage of three Bradley errors in the fifth.

A hit batter to open the inning was followed by a Bradley error.  Another BU error on a stolen base allowed a run to cross and a throwing error on a steal attempt led to another unearned run as the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead.

Bradley stranded two more runners in the bottom half of the fifth and Louisville tacked on four more runs in the top of the sixth.  Hensley helped her own cause with a single to open the inning.  A two-out walk with a pinch runner at third kept the inning alive and the Cardinals were able to plate a run on the fourth Bradley error of the contest on a steal.  Charley Butler drove in two more with a triple to right and a double steal later led to another run as Louisville built a 6-0 advantage.

Hensley retired Bradley in order in the sixth and worked around a two-out Jillian Navarro pinch hit single in the seventh to close out the 6-0 Louisville victory.

Jackson suffered the loss for Bradley to drop to 2-3 on the season, despite scattering just three hits over 5.2 innings of work.

The Braves head to Orlando, Fla., for the Citrus Classic, opening tournament play Friday with a 10 a.m. (CST) game against Purdue along with a 12:30 p.m. (CST) contest against South Alabama.