University of Louisville
WRIGHT STATE
Cards Rock Raiders, 19-2
May 16, 2005 | Baseball
May 16, 2005
LOUISVILLE, KY - The University of Louisville scored 16 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 19-2 win over Wright State Monday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
A five-run Cardinal (29-21) first began with a walk to Boomer Whiting, a bunt single by Chris Cates and a walk to Nick Haley to load the bases. J.T. LaFountain just missed a grand slam, hitting the ball down the right field line foul, but singled home two on the next pitch for a 2-0 advantage. A wild pitch plated another run before Isaiah Howes hit his fourth home run of the season to cap the inning.
With one out in the second, Haley, LaFountain and Howes walked on 12 pitches to load the bases before Logan Johnson was hit by a pitch, pushing across a run.
Daniel Burton followed with his seventh double of the season, scoring two more. Another wild pitch scored a run, and Greg Taylor closed the inning with an RBI single for a 10-0 U of L lead.
Wright State's(22-28) John Kopilchack doubled to open the third and scored on a groundout by Amin Abusaleh, making it 10-1.
Pinch-hitter Ryan McKinnon drew a leadoff walk in the third and Haley belted his first home run of the season to right making it 12-1 Cards.
Back-to-back singles by LaFountain and Howes were followed by a walk to Johnson to again load the bases for Burton, who singled home a run. A walk to Derrick Alfonso pushed across the fourth run, Boomer Whiting's RBI single the fifth and a base-loaded walk to Jon Townsend closed the six-run frame with the Cards leading 16-1.
Kyle Carden hit a pinch single to open the fourth and Danny Plasencia followed with his first double of the year, putting runners at second and third.
RBI groundouts by Burton and Alfonso extended the lead to 18-1 U of L.
A solo home run by the Raiders' Ross Oeder opened the fifth, making it 18-2, and the Cards closed the scoring in the fifth when McKinnon was hit by a pitch, Townsend and LaFountain walked and Plasencia was hit, scoring McKinnon.
Starter Justin Valdes (2-4) earned the win for the Cards, allowing the two runs on five hits and a walk in five innings.
Chase Cruse made his debut on the mound this season, walking one and striking out one in two innings of scoreless ball.
Freshman Blake Williams retired the side in order in the eighth and Jason Keck closed it out allowing a hit and fanning one in the ninth.
The game saw 14 Louisville players reach base via a hit or one of the 15 Raider walks, and 43 players stepped between the lines.
WSU starter Nate Stevens (2-6) took the loss without recording an out, as he was touched for five runs on three hits and two walks. Eight other Raiders toed the rubber.
Burton drove in four runs on the day, as he, LaFountain and Howes each had two hits. LaFountain, Howes and Haley all scored three runs as 10 different Cardinals scored runs.
The 17-run margin was the most lopsided victory for the Cards since they toppled Western Kentucky 18-1 on March 11, 2003, and the 19 runs matched a season high they have achieved three times now, doing it twice at Saint Louis.
Louisville will host Evansville (33-19) on Tuesday at 6:00 PM ET at Patterson Stadium before closing out the C-USA season at home Thursday, Friday and Saturday against UAB. Admission to all games is free.
