University of Louisville
<i>vs USF<br>(Conference USA Tournament)</i>
Bulls Put an End To Louisville's Season
May 26, 2005 | Baseball
May 26, 2005
HATTIESBURG, MS - Number six seed South Florida ended the University of Louisville baseball season on Thursday with an 11-1 win over the seventh-seeded Cardinals in an elimination game of the 2005 Conference USA baseball tournament. The game was ended after seven innings because of the ten-run rule.
USF(33-30) leadoff hitter Tim Orlosky homered to open the ballgame and give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.
A solo home run by Brian Baisley opened the second, and after a walk to Matt McHargue, Brandon Daniel homered, making it 4-0 USF and chasing U of L starter Mike Lynn.
The Bulls exploded for a seven-run sixth inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple by Jeff Baisley. Five hits were mixed in with a pair of walks and a throwing error, forcing six unearned runs in the frame.
The Cardinals' (32-24) only run of the game was a solo home run by J.T. LaFountain with one out in the sixth inning. It would be the fifth-year senior's final at bat of his career, that saw him finish in the top ten in seven different career offensive categories. He completes his Cardinal tenure tied for third in games played(207), sixth in at bats (729), eighth in runs (162), first in hit by pitches (34), fifth in doubles (47), eighth in hits (229) and sixth in walks (107).
Lynn (2-4), took the loss, and gave up four runs on three hits and a walk in an inning-plus.
Trystan Magnuson came in and tossed 4.2 solid innings of relief, allowing three runs, one of which was earned, on five hits. He matched a career-high with six strikeouts and at one point retired ten in order.
Brian Halford closed things out with the final 1.1 innings, allowing four unearned runs on two hits and three walks while fanning one.
USF starter Daniel Thomas (9-4) picked up the win, giving up a run on four hits and a walk in 5.1 innings. He struck out two.
Halford ends the season tied for fifth on the career list for appearances (71) and third in saves (15) as he heads into his senior season. He had eight saves, a career-best, placing him fifth for a single season at Louisville. His 26 outings in '05 ties him for ninth on the list.
Griffin Bailey, also a junior, came on 29 times, the second highest total in school history.
Junior Boomer Whiting, a Second Team All-Conference selection, swiped 26 bases(4th) and was hit by a pitch 14 times (T2nd). Senior Ryan McKinnon was plunked 13 times on the year, tying him for fifth. He is second on the career list (33), while Whiting is fifth (27). Whiting's 32 career steals is good for eighth place in Cardinal history.
McKinnon and LaFountain were joined by Greg Taylor, Chase Cruse, Danny Plasencia and Curt Stewart in spending their final day in a Cardinal uniform.
