University of Louisville
TCU (C-USA Tournament)
Cardinal Nine season ended by TCU
May 27, 2004 | Baseball
May 27, 2004
HOUSTON, TX - A solo home run in the sixth by TCU freshman Austin Adams broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the fourth-seeded Frogs to a 4-3 win over the University of Louisville in the second round of the 2004 Conference USA Tournament.
The loss ends the eighth-seeded Cardinals' season at 26-30, as it was the second loss in the double elimination tournament.
The Frogs(34-24) plated three in the first on an RBI single by Bo Cogbill and a two-run home run by Adams, staking TCU to a 3-0 lead.
Louisville picked up a run in the second when Boomer Whiting's sacrifice fly to right plated Daniel Burton, who had singled and advanced to third on a single by fellow freshman Logan Johnson.
In the Cardinal half of the third, Chris Cates extended his career-long hitting streak to 11 games with a leadoff single, and an out later he scored on a game-tying, two-run home run to left by Ron Braun.
It was Braun's second home run of the tournament, and sixth of the season.
Cardinal senior Mike Tisdale started and lasted just an inning, surrendering three runs on three hits and a walk, as his injured right knee forced him out of the lineup.
He was replaced by Brian Halford (6-6) who was strong through four innings before allowing the deciding home run by Adams. Halford took the loss, giving up the single run on five hits and a walk, striking out six.
Griffin Bailey twirled three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out three.
TCU starter Eugene Espineli (8-4) picked up the win, tossing 7.1 innings, and allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk, fanning three.
Robbie Findlay was perfect over the final 1.2 innings, picking up a strikeout and his 10th save of the season.
The Cardinals had five seniors play in their final game, as Luis Pardo, Steve Ayers, Mark Jurich, Tisdale and Braun closed out their Cardinal careers.
Jurich finishes his career at Louisville ninth in games played(193), seventh in hits(234), seventh in at-bats(714), first in doubles(58), sixth in triples(12), fourth in home runs(47) and seventh in RBI(178). His 19 doubles this season is tied for seventh all-time and his 19 home runs is tied for the eighth highest total in a single season.
Braun ranks in a tie for eighth in single season triples with five and is tied for second having been hit by a pitch 14 times this year. He has been plunked 22 times in his two-year career, sixth all-time.
Tisdale started his 41st game in his career, good for second all-time, is fourth in innings pitched(240.0), 10th in K's(164), tied for ninth in complete games(8) and tied for ninth with 16 wins. His 15th start this season places him fourth all-time in U of L history.
