Cardinal Nine To Scrimmage Saturday
September 29, 2005 | Baseball
Sept. 29, 2005
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville baseball team will close out fall practice this Saturday morning when they will play an intrasquad scrimmage at Jim Patterson Stadium beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Admission is free to the public.
The game will precede the Cardinal football teams' homecoming game at nearby Papa John's Cardinal Stadium where U of L hosts Florida Atlantic at Noon.
"This will hopefully give our football fans an opportunity to not only see the Cardinal baseball team, but get another look at our beautiful facility," said Head Coach Lelo Prado.
Jim Patterson Stadium opened on April 15, 2005 to an overflow crowd in the inaugural game. It is located on the corner of Central Avenue and Third Street, just west of P.J.C.S.
The Cardinals return 22 letterwinners, including 12 pitchers from a team that was 32-24 overall, and 15-14 in Conference USA last year.
Senior Boomer Whiting is the top returning batter on the team with a .327 average last season. The second-team All-Conference outfielder scored 56 runs and was 26-30 on stolen bases.
Fellow outfielder Isaiah Howes, a junior from Louisville's Pleasure Ridge Park high School, hit .319 with 15 doubles, five triples, four home runs and 33 RBI in 2005.
Senior closer Brian Halford has 15 career saves, good for third in Cardinal history, and made 71 appearances, tying him for fifth. Last season Halford, a Louisville Eastern graduate, had eight saves in 27 outings.
B.J. Rosenberg and Trystan Magnuson each won five games to lead the Cards last year, while Griffin Bailey was 4-1 with two saves, and a 2.59 ERA, taking the mound a team-high 29 times.
Louisville welcomes eight newcomers to the roster, including infielder Chris Dominguez, a 6'5" third baseman, who also plays at first and shortstop.
He was named the top high school third baseman in the country, and 11th-ranked HS player overall by Baseball America his senior season in high school at Miami's Gulliver Prep.
Dominguez chose UofL over Stanford, Arizona State, NC State, and San Diego State. He was drafted in the 17th round of the 2005 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.
Outfielder Alec Lowrey, from Pace High School in Miami is also a freshman for the Cards and was tabbed in the 46th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Prado, who is in his 11th season as head coach of the Cardinals has 289 wins, just 20 behind Dr. John Heldman Jr. who is the winningest coach in U of L history.
Louisville will be competing in the BIG EAST conference next spring.
