University of Louisville
Evansville
Cardinal Nine Trumps Aces 2-1 in Tenth
March 27, 2002 | Baseball
March 27, 2002
LOUISVILLE, KY - Mark Jurich's RBI single in the tenth vaulted the University of Louisville's baseball team to its fifth straight victory 2-1 Wednesday over Evansville.
Josh Bolen, who hit a two-run home run in the top of the tenth in Louisville's 6-4 win over Saint Louis on Saturday, lead off the ninth with a solo shot to right center to even the game at one and send it to extras.
The win marks the fifth time the Cards have won a game with it's final at-bat, and gives them back-to-back tenth inning wins.
A scoreless game carried into the seventh, when with two out, shortstop Courtney Campbell hit a comebacker to Cards pitcher Scott Barber. Barber fielded the hard shot cleanly, but sent his throw over the head of first baseman Morgan Bojorquez, allowing Campbell to second. Center fielder Joey Vanderver followed with an RBI double and the unearned run put the Aces (10-9) up 1-0.
Bolen took a called strike, before driving the 0-1 pitch into the seats in right center to tie things up at one. It was his sixth home run of the season.
In the tenth, J.T. LaFountain smoked a one out double down the right field line and advanced to third on a deep flyout to center by Mike Budak. Jurich then stepped to the plate and drilled an 0-1 pitch to the gap in right center, scoring the game winner easily.
Cardinal closer Josh Ring (3-0) tossed a 1-2-3 tenth to pick up the win, striking out two. Mike Eilers had started the game, but loaded the bases in the first on two hit batters and a walk. Barber entered and induced a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the jam.
Barber went on to toss 6.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits, while striking out six.
Grant Williams entered in the eighth and extended his scoreless innings streak to 16 innings, allowing a hit and striking out two in two stanzas.
Andrew Arreola (4-2) took the loss, hurling 3.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five.
The Cards are now 17-4 and have equalled the 1984 teams' start through 21 games as the best in school history. The 6-0 mark in Conference USA has them alone in first place and is the best conference start in history.
Louisville has won 10 of its last 11.
LaFountain and Jurich each had three hits on the afternoon and are tied for the team lead in multi-hit games with nine apiece. Bojorquez had a pair of singles on the afternoon, as the Cards outhit the Aces 10-6.
Next the Cardinals will hit the road as they travel to Tampa, Florida to face South Florida(14-11, 3-3) for a three game weekend series with games Friday at 7:00p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm. Fox Sports Net Florida will air the Friday and Sunday games, while audio broadcasts of all three of the games will air on UofLsports.com.
