University of Louisville
#12 GEORGIA
Cardinal Nine Tops # 12 Bulldogs 7-4
March 13, 2005 | Baseball
March 13, 2005
LOUISVILLE, KY - Sophomore Chris Cates belted a three-run triple that punctuated a six-run first inning, as the University of Louisville baseball team held off 12th ranked Georgia 7-4 Sunday to take two of three from the nationally ranked Bulldogs over the weekend.
Boomer Whiting reached on a fielding error by Georgia (10-5) first baseman Josh Morris to open the first stanza, and Nick Haley followed with a single.
Logan Johnson's double down the right field line scored Whiting. An out later Jorge Castillo plated two more with a single to right. A walk to Daniel Burton and a single by DH Greg Taylor loaded the bases Cates. With a 1-0 count, the sophomore hit a fly ball deep to right that ricocheted off of the wall and rolled toward the infield, clearing the bases for a 6-0 U of L lead.
The Bulldogs turned a hit, two walks and two errors into a pair of unearned runs in the second to cut into the Cardinal lead.
UGA then trimmed two more runs off the Louisville advantage in the third on an RBI fielder's choice by Adam McDaniel and an RBI single by Brandon Masters.
The Cards (8-5) answered with a single run in the bottom of the third when Burton walked to lead off and stole second. Derrick Alfonso's groundout moved Burton to third and Taylor's groundout scored him for a 7-4 Cardinal lead.
Both starting pitchers were knocked out in the third inning, but the bullpens combined to blank the opponents through the final six innings.
Cardinal starter Justin Valdes was touched for four runs - two earned, on two hits and six walks in 2.1 innings.
Griffin Bailey (2-0) was a rock out of the pen, twirling 4.2 shutout innings to earn the win. He allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out a pair.
Brian Halford was equally effective with two innings of two-hit relief, striking out the final batter of the ballgame for his second save of the season.
UGA starter Brooks Brown (1-2) took the loss, allowing all seven runs, three of which were earned on seven hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. He struck out two. Rip Warren and Bo Lanier held the Cards scoreless the rest of the way, but it was too late.
The Bulldogs stranded 13 on the afternoon.
Johnson, Castillo, Cates and Isaiah Howes each had two hits for the Cards.
Louisville will host Northern Illinois on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. before hitting the road for the first time all season as they face Evansville on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Cards will open the Conference USA season Friday at 4:00 p.m. in Cincinnati for the first of three over the weekend.
