University of Louisville
<B>CHARLOTTE</B> *
Charlotte Evens Baseball Series
April 17, 2004 | Baseball
April 17, 2004
LOUISVILLE, KY - Spencer Steedley and Randall Poplin combined for four home runs and nine RBI to lead Charlotte to a 13-8 win over the University of Louisville on Saturday at Cardinal Stadium.
The Cards and Niners will close out the series on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET at Cardinal Stadium with the deciding game.
Nick Haley walked to open the first and Chris Cates was safe at first after he knocked the ball out of the glove of first baseman Jamie Rusco on a sacrifice bunt.
Mark Jurich then singled to left to plate Haley and give the Cards a 1-0 advantage.
With the single, Jurich became the ninth player in U of L history with 200 career hits.
In the Charlotte(14-17, 4-9) half of the third inning, Rusco doubled home Tommy Bowker to knot the game at one.
An RBI single by Bowker scored Adam Willard in the top of the fifth, giving Charlotte a 2-1 lead.
The Cards(19-14, 8-5) evened the game at two on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Isaiah Howes that scored Ron Braun.
The 49ers then struck for three in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by Steedley and a two-run single by Chris Lane.
Louisville again responded, this time with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth.
Boomer Whiting doubled down the left field line to open the frame and Haley singled him home. On the play, Haley injured his knee running to first and had to exit the ballgame.
Cates moved pinch runner Logan Johnson to second with his second sac bunt of the game. Jurich then walked and Braun was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Ryan McKinnon followed with a sac fly that scored Johnson and sent Jurich to third.
With two out and a 1-2 count Daniel Burton ripped a double off the wall in right, scoring Jurich and Braun on a nifty head-first slide under the tag of 49er catcher Kris Rochelle, giving the Cards a 6-5 lead.
Burton then scored on a wild pitch for a 7-5 Cardinal lead.
In the seventh, with two out, Rusco walked, Rochelle singled and Steedley snuck a wind-aided home run over the fence in right, putting the 49ers back on top 8-7.
Poplin opened the eighth with a solo shot to right center for a 9-7 margin, and an RBI bloop double by Steedley and a three-run home run by Polpin in the ninth provided the cushion Charlotte would need.
Burton opened the ninth by drilling a 3-2 pitch down the left field line for his third home run of the season and the final tally of the game.
Brian Halford (5-2) took the loss, surrendering seven runs on five hits and two walks in 2.2 innings of relief, fanning two.
Mike Tisdale moved into a tie for third all-time in U of L history, starting his 36th career game. He worked 6.0 innings, allowing five runs, four of which were earned on ten hits and a walk. He struck out three.
Tisdale is now seventh all-time with 215.1 career innings pitched.
Scott Jenkins gave up a run on a hit in a third of an inning, allowing Poplin's three-run blast.
For the 49ers, reliever Adam Mills (3-1) was touched for two runs on two hits in 3.2 innings, striking out three to earn the win.
Burton drove in three runs on two hits as he and Braun each scored twice. Jurich also had a pair of hits.
Admission and parking at the game Sunday is free.
