University of Louisville
Cincinnati
Cardinal Nine Wins Conference Opener
March 16, 2001 | Baseball
March 16, 2001
Louisville opened the Conference USA season with a 12-7 victory over rival Cincinnati Friday in Ohio. Sophomore Mike Tisdale (4-2) tossed his third complete game of the season in the victory, giving up 13 hits, walking none and striking out nine. Freshman centerfielder Nate Smith's first career home run, a three-run shot in the sixth, put the Cards(14-10, 1-0) up for good.
UC starter Joey List walked the bases loaded in the first, with one out, but a pick off by catcher Chris Hamblen of Dave Williams Jr. at third, and strikeout ended the threat without the Cards cashing in.
In the bottom of the frame, Bearcats leadoff man LaDaris Vann took Tisdale's first pitch out to left for his first home run, and four batters later, Hamblen also went deep, a three-run shot and his third, putting Cincinnati up 4-0.
Louisville put themselves back in the game with three runs in the second. After a ground out by Williams scored second baseman Matt Jarboe, DH Scott Gerlach ripped a single to right to plate two more, to make it a 4-3 game.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Jarboe walked, and shortstop Adam Haley was hit by a pitch, and Smith crushed a 2-1 offering from List to put the Cards up 6-4. The home run was the redshirt freshman's first career extra base hit, and drove in the first runs of his career. He started in place of an injured Mike Hook, the team's leading hitter, who is day-to-day with a bruised forearm.
Louisville extended its lead in the eighth with five runs on four hits. Williams, right fielder Bill Gatti Jr. and third baseman Mike Budak each had RBI singles, and catcher Fernando Isa's seventh double of the season scored two to put the Cards ahead 11-4.
UC's all-conference third baseman Kevin Youkilis homered to lead of the eighth making it 11-5.
Pinch hitting with two down in the ninth, freshman Carlos De la Osa blasted a solo shot to right-center answering Youkilis and putting the Cards back up by seven, 12-5. It was also the first career round-tripper for De la Osa.
Cincinnati(11-5, 0-1) scratched back for two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a two-run single by Youkilis to close the scoring.
Williams, Gerlach, Isa and Smith all had multi-RBI games. Haley tied a school record, getting hit by pitches three times in the game, scoring each time. First baseman Morgan Bojorquez was hit three times when the Cards faced Northern Iowa on February 24th, earlier this season. Bearcat pitchers hit five Cardinal batters.
List(2-2) took the loss, giving up seven runs on five hits and six walks in seven innings. He struck out six. Reliever Curtis Moak was touched with four runs on four hits in just one third of an inning.
The teams will meet for game two of the three-game series Saturday at Johnny Bench Field at 1:00 p.m.
