University of Louisville
Memphis
Tigers Top Cardinal Nine 9-7
April 06, 2001 | Baseball
April 6, 2001
Memphis catcher Barrett Smith was 4 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead Memphis past Louisville 9-7 Friday night in Conference USA baseball action.
U of L senior centerfielder Mike Hook blasted a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center to open the game with his fourth home run of the season, and put the Cards up 1-0.
In the bottom of the frame, Smith doubled to right center, scoring second baseman Daniel Uggla who had reached on an error by Cardinal third baseman Mike Budak, evening the score at one. Hook made a diving attempt against the wall on Smith's double, was shaken up and forced to leave the game.
In the second, Tiger DH Ryan O'Malley hit a three-run home run to put Memphis up 4-1. After a single by third baseman Tyler Shelton, rightfielder Joshua Payne hit a ground ball to Budak, who committed his second error on the night before the longball by O'Malley.
Louisville answered in the top of the third on a three-run bomb to left by Budak, his third on the year, tying things up 4-4.
But the Tigers recaptured the lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Shelton to put UM up 5-4, and added to the margin with back-to-back home runs by Uggla and Smith, making it 8-4 Tigers. Smith doubled in Uggla with two out in the fifth, adding another run, 9-4.
The Cards cut the margin with a single tally in the sixth, when rightfielder Kevin Fishback, who replaced Hook in the lineup hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Dave Williams Jr., and added two more in the eighth. Second baseman Matt Jarboe cracked an RBI single to plate Budak who was hit by a pitch to lead off, and a passed ball with the bases loaded scored pinch hitter J.T. LaFountain to make it 9-7 Memphis, but the Cards could get no closer, leaving the bases loaded.
Cardinal starter Mike Tisdale (6-3) was the losing pitcher, surrendering eight runs, only three of which were earned on eight hits and no walks. He struck out five. Freshman Chase Cruse entered to start the fifth and gave up just a single run on three hits, while also whiffing five.
Memphis starter Bill Edwards (3-1) was the winning pitcher, giving up five runs-four earned on six hits and one walk while striking out six. Layne Dawson tossed 1.1 perfect innings to pick up his third save.
Cardinal catcher Fernando Isa and shortstop Adam Haley each had two hits.
The teams will meet Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET for game two of a three-game series.
