University of Louisville
BALL STATE <i>(Game Two)</i>
Louisville Drops Twinbill to Ball State
March 18, 2006 | Baseball
March 18, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ball State swept a pair of games from the University of Louisville Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium, taking the opener 5-3 and winning the nightcap by a score of 6-4.
In game one, an RBI single by Mike Sullivan in the first scored Eric Earnhart, spotting Ball State(7-9) a 1-0 lead.
A throwing error by U of L third baseman Logan Johnson put Brad Miller aboard to open the fourth, a wild pitch moved him to second and after a fly ball to right sent him to third, Miller scored on a C.J. Webb sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Ball State.
Louisville (6-14) cut the lead in half when Jorge Castillo's two-out RBI single plated Nick Haley in the fourth, making it 2-1.
Johnson atoned for his defensive miscue with a leadoff single in the Louisville fifth and stole second. A single by Derrick Alfonso put runners on the corners with nobody out. Michael Urti's double scored Johnson, and a sac fly by Chris Cates plated Alfonso to give the Cards a 3-2 advantage.
But the lead would be short-lived.
In the top of the sixth, BSU's Matt Singleton reached on a throwing error by Cates and scored on a double by Sullivan. Brad Miller followed with a double of his own, scoring Sullivan. A pair of wild pitches pushed Miller across to cap the three-run inning, putting Ball State up 5-3.
BSU starter Tyler Pritchard (1-1) earned the win, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out one.
Kory Bucklew picked up his first save of the season with four innings of four-hit relief.
Cardinal starter Trystan Magnuson (2-2) was saddled with the loss, surrendering five runs - three of which were earned on just five hits and a walk, striking out two in five innings.
Jake Smith walked two in an inning, while Griffin Bailey gave up three hits and a walk, fanning two in three scoreless frames.
The Cards out hit Ball State 9-8 with Castillo's three safeties leading the way. Alfonso and Urti each had two hits in game one.
The opening batter of game two reached and scored, just like in game one. Sullivan singled and scored on a double by Miller. Webb then singled home Miller for an early 2-0 lead.
Louisville got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Cates lead off with a single and eventually scored on Castillo's fourth hit of the afternoon to make it 2-1.
Urti drew a walk to open the fourth, moved to second on a sac bunt by Alfonso and scored on an RBI single by Alec Lowrey, who was making his first career start.
That tied the game at two, but as in the first game, Ball State wasted no time responding.
Miller hit the first pitch of the fifth inning over the fence in left for his third home run of the season, and a 3-2 BSU lead.
An RBI fielder's choice plated Kyle Dygert later in the inning, extending the lead to 4-2.
A single, two walks, a stolen base and two wild pitches lead to a pair of Ball State runs in the sixth, making it 6-2.
The Cardinals edged closer in the bottom of the seventh. Castillo walked and Burton doubled before Urti plated them both with a single to left-center to make it 6-4, but Urti was doubled off of first on a line drive to center, to end the inning. It was one of six double plays that Ball State turned in the twin-bill.
Ball State reliever Jay Broughton (1-1) picked up the win in game two, working 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and three walk while striking out two.$
Closer Kyle Heyne notched his third save of the season with two inning of two-hit baseball.
David Torcise started for the Cards and dropped to 0-4 on the season with the loss. He was touched for four runs on five hits and five walks in four innings, striking out one.
Jon Harbridge struck out one and gave up a hit and a walk in an inning.
Senior Brian Halford entered in the sixth, making his 82nd career appearance and setting a new U of L career record. He gave up two runs on a hit and three walks, striking out a season-high seven in four innings.
Johnson entered he game as a pinch hitter and was 2 for 2 with a double to pace the Cardinal offense in game two as they again out hit BSU 8-7.
U of L will look to even the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET in the final game of the four-game set at Patterson Stadium. Admission is free.
