Editor’s Note: Guess who the fan was jumping up and down behind the right field fence after the winning home run in the Louisville softball team’s 6-4 win over Valparaiso? None other than:
By Creighton Harley
Earlier in the week all efforts to obtain chairback seats proved unsuccessful, so I packed up my lawn chair and sat out on the berm. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the Alicja Wolny’s three-run, walk-off shot knocked off the pole in right field and landed right at my feet.
Yeah, that was me jumping up and down like a mad man, dropping the ball, picking up the ball, waving the U of L banner I had with me and starting the C-A-R-D-S cheer.
From near despair to a moment of pure euphoria.
Early on, it looked like the heavily-favored Cards were going to cruise to an easy win after taking a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning. However, the pesky squad that Valparaiso brought down made sure that the Louisville faithful in attendance had to sweat this one out. Pitching woes were the story for the Cards throughout the game in this NCAA tournament. Several times Valparaiso loaded the bases, putting four runs on the board while the pitcher was keeping the clamps on the Cards.
While several of the fans in the sweltering heat were trying to figure what was causing the softball team to struggle, nobody was giving up hope. Everybody in the stadium rose to their feet as the bottom of the seventh began, in what seemed to be one of the better attended games of all time at Ulmer stadium. Somebody in the pressbox cued up “Sandstormm,” and from that point on we knew the Cardinals would not go down without a fight.
My only disappointment of the night was having to return the softball. What’s up with that?
Will be back out there today. Beat Michigan!
Great stuff Creighton! Was watching that pandemonium out in right from the press box and should have figured you were the instigator! Good job, Cardinal Creighton!