University of Louisville
Morehead State
Cardinal Nine Steals 3-1 Win From Morehead
April 23, 2002 | Baseball
April 23, 2002
LOUISVILLE, KY - The 29th ranked Louisville Cardinal baseball team won its seventh straight Tuesday, stealing a 3-1 win from Morehead State. The Cards (26-10) managed just five hits, but stole four bases, including two thefts of home.
Morehead (21-19) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by catcher Matt Morris that scored right fielder Cary Page.
Louisville plated three in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Second baseman Scott Gerlach was hit by the first pitch of the inning, and Dave Williams Jr. hit a slow roller to short. Morehead shortstop David Hughes gloved, looked at second, and feeling he could not retire Gerlach, threw to first, too late to get a speedy Williams Jr.
Shortstop J.T. LaFountain sacrificed the runners over, and right fielder Mark Jurich singled home Gerlach to tie the score at one. With Williams Jr. at third and Jurich at first and first baseman Morgan Bojorquez at the plate, Head Coach Lelo Prado put on the double steal and the Cardinals executed to perfection, taking a 2-1 advantage.
Bojorquez then flied out to deep center and Jurich tagged and advanced to third. With Josh Bolen at the plate and an 0-2 count, Prado sent Jurich on a straight steal of home, and he slid in under the tag of Morris for the 3-1 margin.
Cardinal starter Clif Novak (2-1) was the winner, allowing one run on six hits and two walks in 6.1 innings. He struck out a career-best seven.
Carlos Fernandez entered with runners at first and second and one out in the seventh and surrendered a single to pinch hitter Lance Seasor to load the bases. The junior righty from Miami then struck out the next two batters to end the threat. He hurled 2.2 scoreless frames, allowing three hits, while striking out three for his first career save.
The Cards were outhit 9-5, with Jurich hitting the RBI single and his 11th double of the season for half of the total. Bojorquez, Williams Jr. and pinch hitter Curt Stewart had the other Cardinal hits.
Page stroked two doubles in a 3 for 4 effort in the loss for Morehead.
Morehead starter Jason Keck (1-1) was the loser, surrendering three runs on one hit and two walks in 4.2 innings, while fanning four. Four Eagle relievers combined on 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and two walks to go with one strikeout.
Louisville will next meet the University of Kentucky Wednesday at Slugger Field in downtown Louisville at 6:00 p.m. For tickets, call (502) 852-5151. The first-place Cardinals will host TCU this weekend in C-USA action.
