University of Louisville
Southern Miss
Cardinal Nine Splits Saturday Doubleheader
March 31, 2001 | Baseball
March 31, 2001
Louisville and Southern Miss split a Saturday baseball doubleheader at Cardinal Stadium, with the Cards(19-15, 4-4) victorious 5-3 in game one, and the Golden Eagles(16-14, 3-5) swiping the night cap 8-3.
Game One
In game one, U of L third baseman Mike Budak was 4 for 4 with two runs, centerfielder Mike Hook was 2 for 3, driving in two, and starter Mike Tisdale picked up his team-leading sixth win.
U of L took a 2-0 lead in the second on three hits and two Golden Eagle errors. Right fielder Mark Jurich singled with one out and advanced to third on a single by Budak. A ground ball to shortstop by second baseman Matt Jarboe was mishandled, allowing Jurich to score, and putting men on at second and third. A bunt single by Hook plated Budak.
USM evened the score at two in the top of the third when second baseman Ben Mosley hit his first career home run over the fence in right, scoring shortstop Brent Quinn, who had singled to lead off.
Louisville shortstop Adam Haley lashed his fourth double of the year to the gap in right-center to lead off the fourth, and moved to third on a sacrifice by Hook. Designated hitter J.T. LaFountain followed, smoking his third double down the right field line, plating Haley, and giving the Cards a 3-2 cushion.
The Cardinals padded the lead in the sixth with two more runs. Budak lead off with a double down the left field line, his 12th of the year, and moved to third on a sacrifice by Jarboe. Hook singled home Budak, and after a pair of walks to load the bases, Hook scored on a straight steal of home.
The senior centerfielder now has 75 stolen bases in his career, 16 away from the top spot on the career list, and seventh in C-USA history. His 21 this season is the sixth best single season total.
Southern Miss crept closer in the seventh. Centerfielder Dusty Haley singled to lead off the frame and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Quinn.
In the top of the eighth, with a man on first, USM left fielder Jeff Cook crushed a ball to deep centerfield where Hook made a leaping catch against the wall, fired to the cutoff man Haley, who then completed a spectacular double play by firing to first baseman Morgan Bojorquez to end the threat.
Tisdale (6-2) gave up three runs on eight hits and one walk to go with two strikeouts in the victory. He has won each of his past five starts. His string of consecutive innings without a walk was extended to 24 innings before it was broken by a free pass in the fourth inning.
Junior Josh Ring gave up two hits in the final two innings to pick up his fifth save of the season, tying him for fourth on the single season record list at U of L and seventh on the career list.
Chad Rogers(4-3) took the loss as the Golden Eagles starter, tossing 5.2 innings and giving up five runs-three earned on nine hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts.
Game Two
First baseman Michael Artman was 3 for 5 with three runs and three RBI to lead southern Miss to an 8-3 win over Louisville in game two of the doubleheader Saturday at Cardinal Stadium.
Southern Miss asserted themselves early in the, taking a 5-0 lead after four innings of play. Artman homered to lead off the game, and the Eagles plated two in the second on RBI singles by second baseman Ben Mosley and rightfielder Clint Stoy.
In the fourth Artman doubled in Mosley, and Stoy singled in Artman for the 5-0 margin.
Stoy scored an unearned run in the sixth to make it 6-0 Southern Miss.
Louisville got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when right fielder Bill Gatti Jr. hit his conference-leading sixth triple, scoring DH Scott Gerlach, and Gatti was plated on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Morgan Bojorquez to make it 6-2.
Southern Miss regained the six-run lead with two in the top of the seventh. Artman tripled home third baseman Chris Dunn and scored on a wild pitch to put the score at 8-2.
U of L decided the final margin with a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Mark jurich that scored Gerlach, to make it 8-3.
USM starter Shea Douglas(3-2) was touched for two runs on just two hits and four walks, striking out five Cardinals in the win.
Louisville's Denny Williams (3-5) was the losing pitcher, lasting three innings and giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks. He had one strikeout.
The two teams will face each other for the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium.
