University of Louisville
at Oklahoma State
Cardinal Nine Splits Pair with 24th-ranked Oklahoma State
March 20, 2002 | Baseball
March 20, 2002
STILLWATER, OK - The Louisville Cardinal baseball team split a doubleheader with 24th-ranked Oklahoma State Wednesday in Stillwater, Oklahoma, dropping the first game 5-2, and rallying to pound the Cowboys 10-2 in the nightcap.
Louisville is now 13-4 overall with a 3-0 mark in Conference USA play as they head to St. Louis to face the Billikens for a three-game series this weekend.
In game one, Oklahoma State starter Chris Reilly tossed a complete game four-hitter to lead the Cowboys to a 5-2 victory over Louisville. A two-run home run by Cardinal DH Mark Jurich with one out in the ninth inning spoiled the shutout.
The Cowboys(13-6) struck for three runs in the first inning on a pair of walks, an RBI single by left fielder Jose Virgil and a two-run triple off the bat of shortstop Rob Watson. An RBI single by second baseman Nebasset Brown extend the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second.
Cowboy DH Zach Cates belted his first home run of the season with two out in the sixth, making it 5-0 OSU.
With one out in the ninth, left fielder Josh Bolen reached on an infield single before Jurich launched his team-leading seventh home run of the season. He has now hit safely in nine games, notching an extra-base hit in each of the nine games.
Louisville starter Scott Barber (1-2) took the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks in seven innings of work. He struck out six. Clif Novak tossed a 1-2-3 eighth, striking out two.
Reilly allowed two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out eight. Louisville's first hit was not until Dave Williams Jr. singled with two out in the fifth.
Fernando Isa had the only other hit for the Cards. Shortstop Adam Haley had a 17 game hitting streak end, as he was 0 for 3 with a walk.
The loss ended a five-game winning streak.
In game two, sophomore J.T. LaFountain, who was C-USA Co-Hitter of the Week, blasted his first career grand slam in the fourth to key the Cards 10-2 win.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Jurich singled home Adam Haley. With the single, Jurich extended his career-high hitting streak to 10 games.
Catcher Ken Tirpack singled to lead off the fourth inning. After an out, Williams Jr. reached on a bunt single before a walk by Haley put Cardinals at every station for LaFountain. The sophomore infielder from Utica, New York drove a pitch over the fence in right center with one out in the fourth to increase the Cardinal lead to 5-0. It is the third home run of the season for LaFountain and the second grand slam in the past five games, as Carlos De la Osa turned the trick in Friday's win over Memphis.
The Cardinals added a run in the sixth when a wild pitch plated right fielder Dan Cunningham giving the Cards a 6-0 advantage.
The Cowboys got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, making it 6-2 Cards.
Louisville picked up an unearned run in the seventh when first baseman Morgan Bojorquez walked, advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on an error by the shortstop Kenny Hansley. A bases-loaded walk to Bojorquez in the eighth pushed home another run to give the Cards an 8-2 advantage. Third baseman Mike Budak followed with a single that scored LaFountain and Bolen scampered home on a fielding error on the play.
Louisville starter Mike Eilers (2-0) tossed 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five to pick up the win.
Carlos Fernandez entered with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, and induced a pair of ground balls to end the threat. He ended up tossing 1.2 frames, allowing a hit and striking out one.
Grant Williams tossed the eighth and struck out one and walked one. Josh Ring pitched the ninth, surrendering a hit and putting two away by way of the strikeout.
Cowboy starter Mike Miller (1-1) was chased in the third after giving up a run on four hits and two walks, he struck out two.
Joe Weaver entered in relief and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk while fanning three.
The Cowboys used a total of nine pitchers in the second game of the doubleheader and they allowed a combined eight earned runs on 11 hits and eight walks while striking out 11.
LaFountain was 3 for 6 with four RBI and two runs. Haley was 3 for 3 with two walks and a sacrifice, scoring three runs.
The first game of the weekend series against Saint Louis is Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET., and will be followed by games on Saturday and Sunday 2:00 p.m. ET. Live audio broadcasts of the games will be available at www.uoflsports.com. Last season the Cards won two of three at home against the Billikens.
