University of Louisville
<i>@Cincinnati * Game One(7)</i>
Cardinal Nine Sweeps Away Bearcats
March 20, 2005 | Baseball
March 20, 2005
CINCINNATI, OH - The University of Louisville pitching staff limited Cincinnati to two runs over 14 innings, and J.T. LaFountain was 5 for 8 with two home runs an six RBI as the Cardinals(12-6, 3-0) swept two seven inning games from Cincinnati, 10-0 in the opener and 6-2 in the nightcap.
In game one, Boomer Whiting hit an infield single, stole second and third before LaFountain's fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right on a 1-0 pitch, put the Cardinals up 2-0 in the first.
In the Cardinal third Nick Haley walked, stole second and then scored on a single to left by Logan Johnson.
Haley snuck his left hand over the plate on a head-first slide to barely beat the tag increasing the Cardinal lead to 3-0.
Sophomore shortstop Chris Cates walked to open the U of L fifth, moved to second on a sac bunt by Whiting and scored on LaFountain's RBI single to make it 4-0 Louisville.
U of L exploded for six runs in the sixth on just two hits, to notch double figures in the run column.
The inning opened with DH Ryan McKinnon getting hit by a pitch and moving to second on a sac bunt by Derrick Alfonso. Then with two out, Whiting singled home McKinnon, Haley walked and LaFountain doubled home the second run of the inning. Johnson walked to load the bases and Jorge Castillo drew a walk to plate Haley.
Greg Taylor reached on an error, extending the inning and scoring LaFountain. McKinnon drew a walk plating Johnson, and Daniel Burton was hit by a pitch as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded to push across the 10th Cardinal run.
Skylar Meade (3-1) tossed six innings of shutout ball, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out five to earn the win. Freshman Chris Lopez gave up a leadoff double in the seventh before setting down the side on three ground ball outs.
UC (8-8, 0-3) starter Sean Munninghoff (2-2) took the loss, surrendering four runs on seven hits and three walks in 4.1 innings, fanning three.
LaFountain was 3 for 4 with four RBI in game one.
It was the first shutout for the Cardinal Nine since March 16, 2003, a 10-0 win over Memphis.
Whiting again started things off for the Cards in game two as he drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on LaFountain's double to left for a 1-0 Cardinal lead.
Johnson and Castillo walked to load the bases and Burton singled to center, scoring two.
Taylor reached on an error that scored Castillo, putting the Cards up 4-0 before the Bearcats even stepped to the plate.
Johnson walked to leadoff the third, and Alfonso's sac fly plated him, making it 5-0 Cards.
Cincinnati finally broke through in the fifth on an RBI single by Jack Nelson and an RBI groundout off the bat of Logan Parker, cutting it to 5-2.
LaFountain put an exclamation point on the three-game sweep in the seventh with a towering solo home run to right field, his fifth of the season and third on the weekend, sealing the 6-2 win.
Trystan Magnuson (2-0) picked up his first start of the season and was the winner, twirling five quality innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out a career-best six.
Griffin Bailey struck out one in an inning, and Brian Halford fanned one and gave up a hit in an inning out of the pen.
UC starter Kevin Schrader (1-1) tossed just two plus innings, allowing five runs - three earned on three hits and four walks in the loss.
The Cards enjoyed their second straight sweep of the Bearcats, taking all three in 2004 as well.
LaFountain was 6 for 12 with six runs, two doubles, three home runs and nine RBI, slugging 1.417 in the sweep.
Louisville will travel to Richmond, Kentucky to face Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Cards scored four in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Colonels 8-7 earlier this season.
