University of Louisville
<b>CINCINNATI</B>
Cardinal Nine Uses Longball In 8-6 Win
March 14, 2004 | Baseball
March 14, 2004
LOUISVILLE, KY - The University of Louisville baseball team hit four home runs and rallied from a 6-3 deficit to top Cincinnati 8-6 in a rare non-conference game with the Bearcats on Sunday at Cardinal Stadium.
An RBI groundout by Mark Jurich scored sophomore Nick Haley in the first to give U of L a 1-0 lead.
Cincinnati (3-12) took a 2-1 lead with two unearned runs in the third on an RBI single by Matt Ogden and an RBI groundout by Brian Beltz.
Cardinal DH Ron Braun homered with two out in the third to tie the game at two. It was his second home run of the season, and his team-leading 13th RBI.
An RBI single by UC center fielder Aaron Moll put the Bearcats back on top in the fourth.
U of L third baseman Ryan McKinnon lead off the bottom of the fourth with a rocket to right center that cleared the fence for his second home run of the season and cut the UC lead to 4-3.
Drew Saylor's two-run double in the fifth extended the Bearcat advantage to 6-3, scoring two more unearned runs.
With one down in the sixth, first baseman Greg Taylor singled up the middle, and catcher Luis Pardo followed with his first career home run, a two-run shot that again cut the UC lead to one, 6-5.
Jurich opened the seventh with his fifth home run of the season and 33rd of his Cardinal career, giving him sole possession of 10th place in U of L history. The solo shot came on an 0-1 pitch and tied the game at six.
Braun followed with a towering double deep to left that one-hopped the wall near the 390 foot mark, and freshman Isaiah Howes followed with a triple down the left field line that scored Braun and put the Cards up 7-6.
Two hit batters would load the bases and a double play plated Howes for the final run of the game.
B.J. Rosenberg started for the Cards and allowed six runs, just two of which were earned on six hits and a walk, striking out four in six innings plus.
Skylar Meade (2-0) earned his second win of the week, retiring all three batters he faced, fanning one.
Brian Halford notched his second save of the season with two innings of scoreless relief, giving up two hits and striking out two. He has now tossed 14.2 innings this season without surrendering an earned run.
Josh Kay (1-2) took the loss for UC allowing three runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Louisville last hit four home runs in a game on March 6, 2002 in a 16-1 win over the Colonels, a game that saw Jurich homer twice.
Every Cardinal starter had a hit, with Jurich, Braun and Pardo each bagging two hits. Pardo and Jurich each drove in two runs while Braun scored twice.
Louisville has now won four of its last five games.
The Cards will host Murray State for two games Tuesday and Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium before opening the Conference USA slate on the road in Birmingham against UAB beginning Friday.
