University of Louisville
vs. Tulane (Conference USA Tournament)
Cardinal Nine Ousted From Tournament
May 24, 2003 | Baseball
May 24, 2003
NEW ORLEANS, LA - A two-run home run by J.T. LaFountain in the eighth inning edged the University of Louisville Cardinals closer to an upset of Tulane in the Conference USA Tournament on Saturday, but the rally fell short as the Cards were eliminated with a 5-3 loss to the Green Wave.
Tulane (43-16), who advances to the championship game Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CT against Southern Miss, took a 3-0 lead in the third inning on a three-run home run by shortstop Tony Giarratano.
Louisville(34-23) responded with a single run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI groundout by LaFountain to make it 3-1.
A solo home run by the Wave's Gerald Clark in the sixth extended the lead to 4-1 Tulane.
An RBI single by Giarratano pushed home an insurance run in the seventh for a 5-1 advantage.
Dave Williams Jr. singled with one out in the eighth, and LaFountain follwed with his eighth home run of the year, a line drive on the first pitch he saw from starter Billy Mohl, cutting the lead to 5-3, but Mohl set down the next five in order to seal his complete game win.
Mohl(6-2) went the route, allowing six hits and a walk, fanning five for the win.
Cardinal starter Jon Harbridge (1-3) took the loss, giving up four runs on nine hits in six innings of work, striking out two. Brian Halford entered in the sixth and tossed an inning plus, surrendering a run on two hits and a walk.
Senior Carlos Fernandez made his 32nd appearance of the season and 81st of his career, extending his Cardinal records, and twirled two innings of one-hit ball, fanning two. His 1.21 season ERA and 3.70 career ERA are second on both U of L lists, while his 12 saves are a single season record, and his career total of 16 is second all-time.
Williams rounds out his career with the third-highest single season stolen base total with 27, and the fourth-best career total with 48 on 55 attempts. He was also hit by a pitch, extending the career record to 33.
Only five men in U of L baseball history have played in more games than senior Morgan Bojorquez, who stepped on the field for the 196th time, and his 146 RBI is the ninth best career total.
Bojorquez also ranks tenth in career hits(189), ninth in at-bats(674) and set two new career fielding marks with 1,374 total chances and 1,286 putouts. Williams is tenth on the career list with 646 at bats.
Josh Bolen finished his season with 61 runs, tying him for the ninth highest total for a Card, and his 86 hits place him 10th on the single season list.
Mike Eilers and Scott Barber join Fernandez, Williams, Bojorquez and Bolen as departing seniors on the 2003 Cardinal Nine.
Barber placed himself 10th on the career strikeout list with his 10 strikeout effort on Friday, giving him 156, and his 88 this season ties him for the sixth best total at Louisville. His eight wins is the second-highest total for a single season pitcher, as is his 16 starts.
Eilers pitched in 63 games during his four-year stay, tying him for ninth on the career list.
A number of underclassmen made an impact, as sophomore Zach Jackson started 19 games on the mound, the top total in school history and won seven more games, extending his career total to 17 - tied for third all-time.
As a staff, the Louisville Cardinal pitchers logged the fewest walks in a single season, issuing just 170 free passes in 502.2 innings, five fewer than the 1982 squad which tossed only 281.1 frames.
