University of Louisville
KENTUCKY
Cards Fall In Battle of the Bluegrass Nines 12-11
March 30, 2005 | Baseball
March 30, 2005
LOUISVILLE, KY - The University of Louisville came up short in a slugfest with Kentucky, falling to the Wildcats 12-11 in baseball action Wednesday night at Cardinal Stadium.
Junior third baseman Nick Haley tripled with one away in the first, and scored on a groundout by J.T. LaFountain for a 1-0 Louisville lead.
UK (14-9) put up a six spot in the second, keyed by Antone Dejesus' two-run double, to take a 6-1 lead.
The Cards(14-8) edged closer when Greg Taylor's Sacrifice fly to center scored Isaiah Howes to make it 6-2 in the bottom of the second, and Daniel Burton's RBI single plated Haley in the third to make it 6-3 Cats.
Freshman Derrick Alfonso opened the Louisville fourth with a double to left and scored on Boomer Whiting's third home run of the season, a rocket into the bullpen in left, to trim the margin to 6-5.
But the Wildcats scored three in the fifth and three in the sixth to make it 12-5 Kentucky.
The Cardinals chipped back into the lead with a five-run sixth. Chris Cates and Whiting both reached on singles, and Haley walked to load the bases for LaFountain, whose two-run single made it 12-7.
Howes blasted a two-run double and scored on a Burton single, cutting the lead to 12-10.
Haley's RBI fielder's choice scored Cates in the seventh, cutting the lead to one run, but the Cards could not plate the tying run.
Jake Smith started for the Cards and took the loss, giving up five runs on four hits and a walk in 1.2 innings, he struck out two. Scott Jenkins pitched 2.2 innings of relief and allowed four runs on seven hits while fanning two.
Jon Harbridge was touched for two runs on three hits and a walk in an inning. Griffin Bailey gave up a run on two hits and a walk while striking out two in 1.2 frames.
Brian Halford was sharp, tossing two scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk and fanning two.
UK reliever Craig Snipp (2-1) picked up the win despite allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in two innings. Brock Baber picked up his third save of the season, allowing a hit in recording the final five outs.
Burton was 4 for 5 in the loss, while LaFountain drove in three runs on the evening.
Cates was 3 for 5 with two runs at the plate, but brought the crowd to its feet in the eighth with one out and one on, when he made a diving stab of a ground ball to his right and flipped the ball across his body and behind him to LaFountain covering the bag at second. Later in the inning LaFountain ended the frame with a diving stab of a line drive. The Cards are 5-1 in C-USA play and will host South Florida, which occupies the top spot in conference with U of L. Game one of the three game set will be Friday at 6:00 p.m. in what will be the final three home games in Cardinal Stadium before the Cardinal baseball team opens Jim Patterson Stadium on Friday, April 15th against defending C-USA champion East Carolina.
