University of Louisville
UAB *
Cardinal Seniors Celebrate With 5-2 Win Saturday
May 21, 2005 | Baseball
May 21, 2005
Complete C-USA Tournament Coverage
LOUISVILLE, KY - The University of Louisville baseball team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium, and seniors Ryan McKinnon, Greg Taylor, Curt Stewart and Danny Plasencia celebrated in style, going a collective 5 for 12 with two walks, two runs scored, two home runs and all five RBI, as the Cards closed out the regular season with a 5-2 win over UAB.
With the win, the Cards take the weekend series two games to one. Louisville will enter the Conference USA Tournament as the seventh seed, facing #2 seed TCU in an opening round game Wednesday at 5:00 PM ET in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The Blazers(31-25, 14-16 C-USA) took a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo home run by Seth Rollin.
Louisville (32-22, 15-14 C-USA) had an answer in the bottom of the second, taking a 2-1 lead. Senior J.T. LaFountain drew his 31st walk of the season to open the frame, Logan Johnson singled and an out later Stewart singled, loading the bases.
Taylor, one of eight seniors honored in a pregame ceremony, singled home a pair of runs on an 0-2 pitch to give the Cards a lead.
UAB's J.R. Bond singled to left and went to second on a throwing error by Plasencia, leading off the fourth. An out later, an RBI groundout by Cole Helms knotted the game at two.
Stewart sat with an 0-1 count when he hammered his second home run of the season over the fence in right-center to lead off the seventh, putting the Cards back on top.
With two away in the eighth, Johnson singled and McKinnon followed with his seventh home run of the season, a towering shot down the left field line to secure the 5-2 win.
Cardinal starter Scott Jenkins (2-2) went a career-long seven innings, allowing one earned run while scattering five hits and four walks to earn the win. He matched his career-high with five strikeouts on the afternoon.
Brian Halford struck out three in the final two innings to earn his eighth save of the season and 15th of his career, placing him fifth and third respectively in the U of L record books. It was his 70th career outing, placing him sixth all-time.
The Cards, having already set a new single season record in double plays Friday, wrapped up the game with a 6-4-3 twin-killing, the 67th of the year.
LaFountain, who moves into a tie for sixth place all-time with 723 at bats is in the top ten in seven categories, was joined by McKinnon, Taylor, Stewart, Plasencia, Logan Snyder, Chase Cruse and student assistant Brian Jurich in the pregame ceremony, presented on the video wall in right field.
The tournament, being hosted by Southern Miss, features the top eight teams in the league with #1 Tulane facing #8 UAB at 1:30 PM, #3 Southern Miss meeting #6 USF at 8:30 PM and #4 seed Houston and #5 seed ECU squaring off at 10:00 AM ET in the first round Wednesday in the double elimination bracket. The winner receives an automatic bid to an NCAA Regional.
