University of Louisville
at Tulane *
Cardinal Nine Topples #12 Tulane
April 09, 2004 | Baseball
April 9, 2004
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Chris Cates' two-run single in the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the University of Louisville to a 5-2 win over #12 Tulane at Turchin Stadium Friday.
Sophomore Nick Haley reached on an infield single to open the game, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games.
Cates reached on a bunt single and a walk to Mark Jurich loaded the bases.
Senior Ron Braun scored Haley on a sac fly to left, putting the Cards(18-11, 7-3) up 1-0.
An RBI double by Tulane's Brian Bogosevic in the fourth knotted the game at one.
In the seventh, Daniel Burton singled and Boomer Whiting followed with a bunt single before Haley moved them over on his seventh sacrifice on the season.
That brought up Cates, who worked the count to full before poking a single into right, plating Burton and Whiting.
With one out in the eighth, Ryan McKinnon drilled his fourth home run of the season, a towering shot to left, making it 4-1 Cards.
Tulane(23-9, 7-3) edged closer in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by catcher Greg Dini.
U of L starter Justin Valdes (4-3) tossed seven plus innings in the win, allowing two runs, scattering 11 hits and walking one. He struck out two, and exited after the single by Dini.
Sophomore Brian Halford entered, inducing a fly out and an inning ending double play to close the inning and end the threat
A walk to Burton and a pair of errors scored the final run of the ballgame in the ninth for the Cards.
Halford allowed a hit in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season, tying him for eighth all-time at U of L.
Cates was 3 for 5 on the day with a double and two driven in. Burton added a pair of hits, scoring twice.
Billy Mohl(5-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits and a walk, fanning five.
The same two teams will meet for game two on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET. With an unfavorable weather forecast for Sunday there is a chance the teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday. A decision should be made by 10:00 a.m. CT Saturday.
