University of Louisville
EVANSVILLE
Pitts Stops Aces 5-1 Tuesday Night
April 11, 2006 | Baseball
April 11, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Zack Pitts scattered eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings to earn his first career win as the University of Louisville baseball team manufactured a 5-1 win over Evansville Tuesday night at Jim Patterson Stadium.
In the Cardinal half of the second inning Daniel Burton singled through the left side and Jorge Castillo belted a double down the right field line to open the stanza. An RBI groundout by Derrick Alfonso gave U of L a 1-0 lead, and Michael Urti singled home Castillo for a 2-0 Cardinal edge.
Urti was plunked on the arm to lead off the U of L fifth and Isaiah Howes followed with an infield single. A sacrifice bunt by Tyler Christensen put runners at second and third with one out.
Nick Haley's squeeze bunt scored Urti, and a bunt single with two out by Chris Cates plated Howes, putting the Cards up 4-0.
Gabe Bauer's RBI single drove home Robbie Minor in the Evansville (19-16) half of the sixth, but the Cards (15-18) got the run back in the bottom of the inning.
Castillo drilled his second double of the game over the head of left fielder Jeremy Kuester with two out and after a single by Alfonso, it was Urti again bringing a run home with a base hit to close the scoring.
Pitts, making his first career start, gave up a run, striking out two and setting a personal best in innings pitched with his five and two-thirds. He pitched out of trouble in the fifth, loading the bases, before UE cleanup hitter Kirk Bacsu lined out to Burton, who made a nice running catch in right center to end the threat.
Pitts loaded the bases again in the sixth, but David Torcise entered and induced a groundout to second off the bat of Kern Watts to close the frame.
Trystan Magnuson walked two in two innings of hitless relief, and Griffin Bailey gave up a hit an d fanned two in the ninth.
Mitch Prout started and was saddled with the loss, giving up four runs on four hits in 4.1 innings, striking out two. Four other Aces toed the rubber on the evening, allowing a run on six hits over the final 3.2 IP.
Castillo, Alfonso and Urti, the 5-6-7 batters in the U of L lineup each had two hits, going a collective 6 for 11 with three runs and three RBI. Castillo extended his career-long hit streak to 10 games, while Logan Johnson's ended at 14.
U of L heads to Tampa to face BIG EAST foe USF in a three-game series beginning Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
