A look back at 2019
The Cardinals posted a 35-23 overall record during the 2019 season. That included a 12-12 conference mark and the team went 16-5 at home while posting an 8-12 record in away games.
A shutout victory over Cal State Fullerton and a tight 1-0 loss to Northwestern showed some promise from the Cardinals in 2019’s opening weekend, though their showing at the ACC/B1G Challenge was less than stellar, wtih a 1-3 record over that weekend that also included a win over then-#15 Michigan. Other non-conference results included victories for the Cardinals over Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky.
In conference play, the Cardinals won their ACC-opening series against Syracuse, and later in the year earned back-to-back series wins over Florida State and Boston College. The squad recorded one conference series sweep during the season – over Georgia Tech – but finished the regular season slate on a bit of a sour note as the victims of a 3-game sweep at the hands of North Carolina State.
After a one-and-done performance in the ACC tournament, the Cardinals won their first two games of the NCAA tournament in the Evanston Regional, and needed just one more win to advance to the Super Regional round, but were beaten in back-to-back Regional final matchups against host Northwestern to end their year.
Roster turnover
The offseason has been a busy one for Holly Aprile’s club… leading hitter Sidney Melton (.338/2/37) graduated following the 2019 campaign, as did dual-threat star Megan Hensley (.314/13/44, 2.99 ERA, 91 SO). First baseman Kyra Snyder entered the transfer portal over the summer, ultimately landing at Long Beach State. Pitcher Danielle Watson, who took the circle for 161 innings a season ago, elected to make an inter-conference transfer, moving to Florida State where she will sit for 2020 and will be eligible again in ’21.
On the flip side, however, the Cardinals also benefited from the transfer portal, adding a pair of former Auburn Tigers in pitcher Chardonnay Harris and outfielder Carmyn Greenwood. Harris will be the ace of the team’s pitching staff and should make some waves in the ACC, while Greenwood figures to play into the team’s offensive approach. The Cardinals also brought in five freshman, among them Jenna Servi, the daughter of former program assistant coach Amy Servi.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths – The Cardinals performed well during the postseason, delivered in their first season under Holly Aprile, and made themselves relevant in the ACC discussion. The addition of Chardonnay Harris via transfer is a big move that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Weaknesses – Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same place; the Cardinals will need to establish a consistent path of winning, and will no longer have the luxury of taking anyone by surprise.
2020 outlook
Pitching – Harris should start the season as the unquestioned ace of the Cardinals’ staff; she performed well, even spectacularly at times, for Auburn last season. Listing Harris’ status in that way should not be seen as a knock on Taylor Roby, who led Louisville in ERA and wins a season ago. She figures to pair nicely with Harris for a quality 1-2 punch that could help lead their team to some noise-making in the conference race.
Offense – The graduations of Melton – the team’s 2019 leader in batting average – and Hensley – who led in home runs, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage – leave some rather gaping holes in the Cardinals’ offering at the plate. Outfielder Celene Funke returns for her senior campaign, looking to build off a year when she led the nation with thirteen triples. She finished second on the team a year ago with a .324 batting average and twenty-nine stolen bases.
Coaching – The job that Holly Aprile did during year No. 1 of her tenure in Louisville was impressive. The pieces of the puzzle were there – passed down from program architect Sandy Pearsall upon her retirement – but Aprile put those pieces together creating a whole new work of art. The Cardinals may not have dominated any headlines, nor done anything truly earth-shattering, but they did show some serious promise for the years to come.
Wrap-up
Louisville could very well be a team to keep an eye on for the 2020 season. The Cardinals played some tight games a season ago against teams that they “weren’t supposed to be able” to hang with, and not only hang with those teams, but recorded wins against several of them. Chardonnay Harris moves from a mid-level SEC team to a team looking to climb in the ACC, and could have another, even more substantial breakout campaign this year. Don’t look past Funke on offense, either; she’s a really fun player to watch.
