University of Louisville
Vanderbilt
Cardinal Nine Opens 2002 With Win
February 22, 2002 | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2002
The Louisville Cardinal Baseball team opened the 2002 season impressively with a 6-1 victory over Vanderbilt Friday at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.
Junior Mike Tisdale(1-0) picked up the win for the Cards, surrendering just one run on five hits in seven innings of work while striking out two. Junior first baseman Morgan Bojorquez drove in two runs and junior outfielder Dave Williams Jr. was 3 for 4 with an RBI in the win. The Cards(1-0) outhit the Commodores(4-1) 14-6.
"We played the way this team is capable of playing, and I'm very pleased with our overall performance," said head coach Lelo Prado after the win. It is the first victory in a season opener since 1998, and Prado is now 4-3 in openers.
A scoreless game through three, the Cards put up a single run in the fourth. Right fielder Mark Jurich singled with one out, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before Bojorquez singled him home.
Louisville put up three in the sixth, getting back-to-back singles by catcher Fernando Isa and left fielder Josh Bolen. Isa had taken third on an errant pick-off attempt and was plated on a single by Jurich. Bojorquez scored Bolen when his grounder was mishandled by Vandy shortstop Tony Mansolino, and Jurich scored on a sac fly off the bat of DH Carlos De la Osa, making it 4-0 U of L.
Vanderbilt plated its only run in the top of the seventh when left fielder John Kaye singled to lead off the frame, moved to third on a double by Cesar Nicholas and scored on a groundout by catcher John Douillard for a 4-1 margin.
A long solo home run off the bat of shortstop Adam Haley to lead off the inning got the run back for the Cards in the bottom of the seventh. Bojorquez singled to lead off the eighth and scored on a double by Williams Jr. to make it 6-1. Haley extended his hitting streak to 10 games, while Isa has a safety in nine consecutive games, dating back to last season.
Isa, Bolen, Jurich, Bojorquez, Williams and second baseman J.T. LaFountain had multi-hit efforts. Nicholas was the only Commodore with two hits.
Starter Steven Faulkner(1-1) absorbed the loss, giving up three runs, one of which was earned, on seven hits and two walks to go with a strikeout. He was relieved by Chris Maultsby who tossed the final 2.2 frames, and gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits and a walk. He struck out one.
Cardinal reliever Garrett Estabrook tossed a 1-2-3 eighth with a strikeout and Carlos Fernandez tossed the ninth, allowing a hit and a walk while fanning one.
Louisville and Vanderbilt will meet on Saturday for game two of the series at 1:00 p.m., admission is free. All games are broadcast over the internet at www.uoflsports.com
