University of Louisville
<B>CINCINNATI</b> *
Jurich Singles Home Winner In Ninth
March 27, 2004 | Baseball
March 27, 2004
LOUISVILLE, KY - An RBI single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth by senior Mark Jurich lifted the University of Louisville baseball team to an 11-10 win over Cincinnati and capped a 4 for 6 afternoon for the Cardinal outfielder.
With an 11-6 win on Friday over UC, the Cards will bid for a sweep on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET at Cardinal Stadium.
For the second consecutive day, the Bearcats(3-19, 0-5) jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
A hit batter and a ground-rule double put runners at second and third. A wild pitch scored one, and a two-run home run by Steve Pickerell capped the inning.
Louisville(13-9, 4-1) responded in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple by Jurich and an RBI groundout by Ron Braun that scored Jurich, making it 3-2 UC.
Senior catcher Luis Pardo opened the third with a walk, was moved to second on a sac bunt by Nick Haley, and scored on an RBI single by Chris Cates.
Jurich followed with his ninth double of the season, plating Cates and giving the Cards a 4-3 lead.
Louisville loaded the bases in the fourth, and Pardo grounded into a double play that scored Ryan McKinnon, who doubled off the wall to open the inning. Haley then put U of L up 6-3 when he singed home Daniel Burton, stretching Haley's hit streak to a career-high 13 games.
Cincinnati trimmed the lead to a single run in the fifth with a pair of unearned runs.
With two out in the Cardinal seventh, Logan Johnson and Braun walked before Burton smoked a liner over the fence in right for his second home run of the season and a 9-5 Cardinal lead.
Jurich tripled with two out in the eighth, and scored on an error making it 10-5. He is the first Cardinal to triple twice in a game since Mike Budak did it on March 12, 2002, and the sixth in U of L history to turn the feat.
An RBI double by Brian Beltz, and two-run doubles by Jack Nelson and Jon DeLuca erased the Cardinal lead in the top of the ninth, knotting the game at ten.
Isaiah Howes and Pardo drew consecutive walks to open the bottom of the ninth, and a walk to Chris Cates set the stage for Jurich, who lashed the ball into right for the game-winner.
B.J. Rosenberg had another solid start, twirling 6.1 innings and giving up five runs, three of which were earned on seven hits. He struck out a career-high six.
Skylar Meade retired the only two batters he faced. Jon Harbridge struggled, surrendering three runs on four hits and a walk in 1.1 frames. Scott Jenkins gave up a double to the only man he faced. That run would later score.
Brian Halford (4-0), who earned the save in Friday's win, notched his eighth consecutive victory. The sophomore has yet to lose a decision, as he allowed a run on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Brad Hunt(0-3) walked the only two batters he faced, taking the loss for UC as one of five pitchers they sent to the hill.
With his two triples, Jurich has secured sole possession of 6th place in U of L history with 12 career three-baggers. Jurich drove in three and scored twice on the afternoon.
Haley and Cates each had two hits on the day, while they were joined by McKinnon, Burton and Pardo in scoring twice apiece.
Nelson and Pickerell each had three hits in the loss for UC.
Admission to the game on Sunday is free, and the game will be broadcast on WAVG 1450 AM in Louisville and on-line at UofLsports.com.
