University of Louisville
KENT STATE
Cardinal Nine Edges Kent in 2005 Opener
February 18, 2005 | Baseball
Feb. 18, 2005
LOUISVILLE, KY - The University of Louisville baseball team pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth to lift them to a 3-2 win over Kent State Friday in the season opener for both teams.
The Golden Flashes (0-1) took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the first when Kurt Eichorn plated Drew Saylor with an RBI single.
In the second inning, Louisville (1-0) freshman Jorge Castillo dug into the batter's box for his first collegiate at bat and promptly smoked the first pitch he saw into the seats in right field to tie the game at one.
In the top of the fourth, Will Vazquez's RBI double plated Eichorn to give the Flashes a 2-1 advantage.
The Cards picked up a two-out single from Boomer Whiting in the sixth, and Nick Haley followed with a single of his own to put runners at the corners.
Senior J.T. LaFountain followed with a single to center to score Whiting and tie the game at two.
In the eighth, after Haley drew a two-out walk, LaFountain swung at missed at what was strike three, but the pitch was wild and LaFountain beat the throw to first from Vazquez.
Haley, who had advanced to third, was waved home by third base coach Brian Mundorf as the throw to first was errant, and scored what turned out to be the winning run as he slid under the high throw from Saylor.
Griffin Bailey (1-0) entered to open the eighth and retired the side in order to pick up the win, striking out two.
Fellow junior Brian Halford engineered a 1-2-3 ninth on seven pitches, striking out one for his first save of the season and eighth of his career, placing him alone in 6th on the career list at U of L.
Sophomore B.J. Rosenberg started and was solid through seven innings, surrendering just two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Kent starter Evan Smith was equally effective, giving up two runs on five hits, fanning seven in seven frames. Jason Seelman retired the first two batters in the eighth and gave way to Ryan Davis (0-1), who walked two and failed to retire a batter, issuing two wild pitches in taking the loss. Andrew Davis struck out the only batter he faced.
Whiting, Haley, LaFountain and Castillo were joined in the hit column by Isaiah Howes, who tripled.
The Cards and Flashes hook up for two more this weekend at Cardinal Stadium, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday at noon. Admission is free and radio broadcasts can be heard on WAVG 1450.
