University of Louisville
at Western Kentucky
Cardinal Nine Edged by Western
April 09, 2002 | Baseball
April 9, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, KY - A two-run rally in the ninth lifted Western Kentucky to a 10-9 win over Louisville in a seesaw baseball battle Tuesday night.
The Hilltoppers(23-8) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo home run by third baseman Tanner Townsend.
The Cardinals(19-9) evened the score on an RBI single by J.T. LaFountain in the second.
Louisville took the lead with a two-run double by DH Curt Stewart and an RBI double by third baseman Mike Budak in the third, giving U of L a 4-1 advantage.
But Western exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third to take a 7-4 lead. A solo home run by shortstop Travis Brown lead off the inning, and two errors in the frame lead to three unearned runs.
Louisville got a run back in the fourth on Mark Jurich's team-leading eighth home run of the year, a solo shot with two out in the inning making it 7-5.
Junior Josh Bolen lead off the seventh with his second bunt single of the game and Stewart followed with his first collegiate home run, a two run liner to right center, tying the game at seven.
Catcher Fernando Isa followed with his sixth double of the season and scored on a two-out RBI single by shortstop Adam Haley, giving U of L a 8-7 edge.
Townsend responded by leading off the bottom of the seventh with his second home run of the game and eighth on the season, tying the game at eight.
A scoreless eighth kept the ledger even until Budak lead off the ninth with his third home run of the season, driving a 1-2 offering deep over the fence in left center, and giving Louisville a 9-8 lead.
Grant Williams, who had tossed 2.2 innings, retired the lead off man in the ninth and gave way to closer Josh Ring. Townsend reached on a bunt single, and catcher Ryan Cattell followed with a single, putting runners at the corners with one out. Jeff Pacholke walked and rightfielder Antone Towns was hit by the first pitch from Ring, pushing across the tying run.
First baseman Nick Turner then stepped to the plate and singled to left, plating the game winner.
Ring(4-2) took the loss, facing five batters in the ninth and allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.
Western closer Matt Wilhite(6-0) picked up the win, giving up Budak's homer in an otherwise perfect ninth.
Cardinal starter Mike Eilers surrendered four earned runs on six hits in 3.0 innings of work, striking out one. Clif Novak tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief giving up three hits and fanning one. Williams allowed a run on two hits to go with two strikeouts in 3.0 frames.
Jurich and Budak each had three hits in the Cards' 15 hit attack, while Stewart was 2 for 5 with four RBI. Bolen and Isa also had a pair of hits in the loss.
Louisville will head to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for a three-game series against first place Southern Miss over the weekend, beginning Friday at 7:30p.m.
