University of Louisville
EASTERN KENTUCKY
Lelo Prado Notches Win Number 300 at U of L
March 29, 2006 | Baseball
March 29, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville Head Coach Lelo Prado notched career win number 300 as a Cardinal as U of L struck for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth in a 14-4 route of Eastern Kentucky Wednesday night at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Prado is second behind the legendary Dr. John Heldman Jr. who amassed 309 career wins in 28 years as head man at U of L. Louisville (11-14) has now won a season-best five in a row.
Chris Cates tripled with one out in the first and was plated on an RBI double by Logan Johnson for an early 1-0 lead.
Nick Haley drew a walk, Cates singled and Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out in the third. A double play ball scored Haley and an RBI single off the bat of Jorge Castillo made it 3-0 Cards.
A wild pitch by Cardinal starter Jake Smith plated Aaron Barrows from third in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 3-1 before the Cardinals' offensive explosion.
Haley's bunt single opened the fifth inning barrage.
Cates walked and a balk sent the runners into scoring position. Johnson's sac fly moved both runners, and Daniel Burton's RBI double scored Cates to make it 5-1.
After a groundout by Castillo moved Burton to third, Derrick Alfonso's RBI single brought him home. Michael Urti then walked before Isaiah Howes smoked a triple into the alley in left, clearing the bases and extending the advantage to 8-1.
Alec Lowrey reached on a two-base throwing error by EKU second baseman Sean Ryan, scoring Howes, and an RBI single by Haley closed the inning by bringing Lowrey home and boosting the U of L margin to 10-1.
Louisville scored four more in the sixth.
Johnson walked, Castillo singled, and pinch hitter Tyler Christensen singled home Casey Albanese, who was pinch-running for Johnson.
Howes then singled home Pete Rodriguez, who was pinch-running for Castillo, before Lowrey rolled one to the wall in right-center, clearing the bases and making it 14-1 Cards.
A two-run home run by Chris O'Dell in the eighth and an RBI single off the bat of Brett Bolger in the ninth edged the Colonels (11-10) as close as they would get.
Smith was solid, allowing just a run on three hits and two walks in 4.2 innings, but was chased before he could capture the win, leaving with the bases loaded in the fifth. He struck out a season high five.
Jon Harbridge took over and retired EKU slugger Charlie Yarbrough on a fly out to right to end the threat.
Harbridge (1-1) allowed a hit, striking out one in an inning and a third to earn his first win of the season.
Zack Pitts sat the side down in order in the seventh. Andrew Salgueiro was touched for two run on two hits, fanning one in the eighth. Mike Lynn gave up a run on two hits, striking out two, while Ryne Mantooth recorded the final out of the game.
EKU starter Nick Barte (1-4) took the loss surrendering three runs on four hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out two.
Five other Colonels toed the rubber on the evening.
Haley, Cates, Castillo and Howes each had two-hit efforts. Howes drove in three, while Lowrey and Johnson each plated two. Every Cardinal starter either scored or drove in a run.
The win caps a season sweep of the Colonels after the Cards dismantled EKU 20-3 on March 7 in Richmond.
U of L will carry its 3-0 conference record back into BIG EAST competition when they host UCONN (14-8, 4-2 BIG EAST) for a three game weekend series beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET in Patterson Stadium. Free hot dogs and chips will be available to all U of L students who present a student ID and the first 100 fans will receive a free mouse pad.
Admission is free to all U of L home baseball games.
