LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Since arriving at the University of Louisville from Bullitt East High School in 2018, Taylor Roby has evolved into a leader for a team that is now ranked No. 25 in the country and bidding for its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019. 

"Seeing the freshman class, seeing the transfers, seeing the returners, just how hard they wanted to work," Roby said about what she witnessed last fall. "I told my parents, I told the coaches, 'This is going to be a pretty good team.'"

And they have been. Following last weekend's sweep at Virginia, the Cardinals are 32-14 overall and 13-4 in the ACC. And Roby has been in the middle of that success.

"She's really come into her own as a leader and as a human being," UofL coach Holly Aprile said. "She's made all kinds of positive adjustments and learning from the seniors that were here when she was here and growing and evolving and now she's doing all kinds of things for us."

Roby is tied for first nationally in home runs with 19 and each one she hits adds to her school single season and career marks. She also leads the team in RBI (50) and walks (29) and is third in batting average at .373.

And she's not only a hitting leader for the team, she's also their top pitcher with a 9-5 record and a 2.37 earned run average.

"I always do this funny thing where I have two wristbands and when I pitch, it's my pitching time and when I hit, it's my hitting time," Roby said. "I try not to carry over my emotions to both."

"I love a two-way player. I was one myself," Aprile said. "I think it's a special thing to be able to do that especially as prolifically as Taylor Roby does."

The Cardinals play their final home series this weekend against Boston College, including Senior Day for Roby and four others Saturday.       

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