University of Louisville
Houston
Houston Handles Cardinal Nine 8-2
April 27, 2001 | Baseball
April 27, 2001
Eight of the nine hitters in the Houston starting line-up tallied a hit, in the Cougars 8-2 win over Louisville in baseball action Friday night. UH starter Brad Sullivan (5-5) tossed seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits and six walks to go with six strikeouts in the winning effort.
The Cards opened the bottom of the first with three consecutive singles that produced a 1-0 lead. Center fielder Mike Hook opened with a single to center, third baseman J.T. LaFountain followed with a roller throught the right side of the infield, and first baseman Mike Budak scored Hook with a single to center.
The Cougars countered with four runs in the third on three hits. Left fielder Gabe Lucas incurred the most damage with a two-run double, and catcher Chris Snyder added an RBI single. The Cougars added four more in the fifth to take an 8-1 lead. Two of the runs in the fifth were unearned. Third baseman Hyung Cho singled home two in the frame, while rightfielder Sam Mitchell had an RBI single.
The Cards added its final run of the contest on a long solo home run by shortstop Adam Haley, his first of the season to lead off the seventh inning.
Cardinal starter Mike Eilers (4-2) took the loss, throwing 2.2 innings, and giving up four runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out one. Reliever Carlos Fernandez pitched the final 6.1 frames, and was touched for two earned runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out one.
Hook and Haley each had a pair of hits for U of L. LaFountain struggled defensively, committing three errors at third, two of them coming in the four-run fifth.
Cougar reliever Nick Torina threw the final two innings, giving up a hit and striking out one.
Louisville(25-23, 8-11) will meet conference-leading Houston(25-21, 16-3) Saturday at 1:00 p.m. for game two of the three-game set at Cardinal Stadium.
