University of Louisville
Tulane
Green Wave Bats Too Much For Cards
May 13, 2001 | Baseball
May 13, 2001
Tulane used seven extra base hits to top Louisville 12-6 in baseball action Sunday at Cardinal Stadium. The game signals the end of the regular season as the teams both qualify for the 2001 Fed Ex Conference USA Baseball Tournament in New Orleans, LA next week. Louisville is the six seed and will play third-seeded South Florida on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The Green Wave opened the scoring in the second with a five spot on six hits and two walks. Left fielder Matt Groff and first baseman James Jurries each doubled home a run, right fielder James Burgess singled home a run and shortstop Andy Cannizaro drove in two with a double.
Groff jacked a solo home run in the third to up the lead to 6-0 Tulane.
Louisville first baseman Carlos De la Osa sliced the lead in half, smacking his third home run of the season deep to right-center, scoring right fielder Mark Jurich and left fielder Bill Gatti Jr.
The Cardinals stayed close until Groff doubled home a pair in the seventh, and Burgess followed with a sacrifice fly to center, to put the Green Wave up again by six runs, 9-3.
Tulane scored two more in the eighth on a two run single by first baseman James Jurries, making it 11-3.
The Cards plated three in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run by De la Osa to lead off the frame, and a two-run double off the wall in right-center by DH J.T. LaFountain, cutting it ti 11-6.
Tulane closed out the scoring in the ninth on an RBI groundout by catcher Scott Madden.
Louisville starter Chris Keaton (0-2) took the loss, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks in 1.2 innings of work. He was followed by senior Andy Lopez-Cao who struck out three in his 2.1 innings, surrendering a run on two hits and a walk. Sophomore Eddie Joosten allowed only one hit in his two innings on the hill, striking out one.
Tulane starter Barth Melius was touched for six runs on 12 hits and three walks in 7.2 innings. He struck out five. Will Walter gave up a hit and struck out two in the final 1.1 stanzas.
Groff was 4 for 5 with 4 RBI to lead Tulane. De la Osa, Jurich and shortstop Adam Haley each had three hits for U of L on the afternoon. It was De la Osa's first career three hit game, and the first time since April 4, 1999 that a Cardinal had hit two home runs in a game. On that day, catcher James McAuley took Cincinnatti pitching deep twice.
Louisville ends the regular season with a record of 31-27(13-14), just the eighth 30-win season in Cardinal history. Log on to UofLsports.com for streaming audio of all postseason play.
