University of Louisville
East Carolina (C-USA Tournament)
Cardinal Nine Dropped by Pirates
May 26, 2004 | Baseball
May 26, 2004
HOUSTON TX - East Carolina, the fourth-ranked team in the nation and number one seed in the Conference USA Tournament, defeated the University of Louisville 13-2 in seven innings on Wednesday in the tournament opener.
Louisville(26-29) will meet TCU(33-24) on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET in an elimination game. The Frogs fell to host Houston 9-5 Wednesday. TCU took 2 of 3 from the Cards in the Derby City in early May.
The Pirates jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Drew Costanzo and a two-run double by Ryan Norwood.
Ryan Jones singled home a run in the second, making it 4-0 Pirates(47-9), and ECU added seven more in the third, thanks in part to a two-run double by Mark Minicozzi, and a three-run home run by John Poppert for an 11-0 advantage.
Ron Braun's solo home run in the fourth, a deep shot to left on a 2-0 count, put the Cards on the board.
ECU tallied a single run in the bottom of the fourth, making it 12-1.
Louisville shortstop Chris Cates lifted a solo home run of his own to left in the sixth for the second Cardinal run. It was Cates's second home run of the season.
B.J. Rosenberg (2-5), who took the loss, was touched for nine runs on nine hits and two walks in two plus innings in the start, he struck out one.
He was relieved by Skylar Meade who allowed three runs, one of which was earned on four hits and a walk, fanning one in two frames.
Scott Jenkins followed and surrendered a run on two hits and a walk in an inning, and Steve Ayers closed things out walking one and striking out two in an inning of work.
ECU starter Greg Bunn (9-0), the 2004 C-USA Pitcher of the Year, went the distance in the win giving up seven hits and two walks to go with three K's.
Mark Jurich hit his 58th career double in the third extending his career record at U of L.
Cates extended his career-long hit streak to 10 games with his home run.
