University of Louisville
vs UConn<br>(BIG EAST Championship)
Cards Top Huskies 12-10 in BIG EAST Baseball Championship
May 24, 2006 | Baseball
May 24, 2006
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CLEARWATER, Fla. - The University of Louisville pounded out a season-high 18 hits, and the bullpen held on for a 12-10 win over UCONN in the second round of the 2006 BIG EAST Baseball Championship at Bright House Networks Field. The Cards have now won 11 straight.
Louisville (30-28) will have Thursday off before a Friday morning game at 10:00, in which they will face the winner of an elimination game between sixth-seeded Rutgers and the second-seeded Huskies that will take place Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
The Cardinals strung together three straight two out singles in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Logan Johnson and Jorge Castillo both singled to right before Derrick Alfonso's base-hit up the middle put Louisville on top.
UCONN (39-17-1) responded with a run of their own when Larry Day's sac fly to right scored Austin Wasserman who had reached on a lead off double.
Pete Rodriguez hammered a 2-2 pitch into the bullpen in left to lead off the Cardinal half of the second, making it 2-1 U of L. Daniel Burton then doubled to right-center, moved to third on a lineout by Alec Lowrey and scored on Nick Haley's RBI single, which extended his season-long hit streak to 13 and put the Cards up 3-1.
Again the Huskies responded in the bottom of the frame, as Dale Brannon's sac fly to right and Wasserman's RBI single knotted the game at three.
It was Rodriguez again leading off an inning as he was hit by a pitch in the fourth. Burton singled and a sac bunt by Lowrey put a pair of runners in scoring position for Haley, whose sac fly to left gave the Cards a 4-3 lead.
The Huskies took their first lead of the afternoon in the bottom of the fifth. Bryan Maler hit a two-out single and Dennis Donovan homered to left-center for a 5-4 UCONN lead.
UCONN put runners at second and third with one out in the sixth, chasing starter B.J. Rosenberg. Trystan Magnuson entered and bounced one to the plate that was blocked by Alfonso. As the ball caromed out of the cutout, Brannon broke from third, Alfonso scrambled to gather it and flipped to Magnuson who placed the tag on for the second out of the inning. A flyout by Matt Untiet then ended the threat.
In the Louisville sixth, Rodriguez hit a leadoff single through the right side of the infield, and two outs later Haley reached on an error. A walk to Chris Cates loaded the bases and the Cardinals tied the game at five on a walk to Johnson.
Castillo then stepped to the plate and belted a 1-2 pitch into the corner in right field for his second double of the game, clearing the bases and giving the Cards an 8-5 lead.
Burton connected for his second home run of the season, a towering shot to left to lead off the seventh that made it 9-5 Cards.
A walk to Castillo, a single by Alfonso and a bunt single by Isaiah Howes loaded the bases in the U of L eighth, and Burton belted a two-run single to center, extending the advantage to 11-5 Cards.
UCONN's Steven Malinowski belted a solo home run with two out in the eighth, trimming the lead to 12-6.
In the ninth Wasserman was hit by a pitch, Untiet walked and a wild pitch placed Wasserman at third. Day hit and RBI single, chasing Magnuson, and Griffin Bailey walked Pat Mahoney to load the bases.
Maler hit a sharp grounder to the right side that Burton stabbed at first on a hop. He went to Cates at short, who made the relay to Bailey covering the bag to complete a 1-6-3 double play. The twin-killing was the 70th on the season for the Cards, setting a new single season record.
The run scoring on the double play, made it 12-8 Cards with two out and a runner at third. Donovan then hit his second home run of the game, trimming the lead to 12-10, but Bailey induced a grounder to short by Josh Farkes, and Cates made another great play to end the game.
Rosenberg (6-5) picked up the win, allowing five runs, scattering 12 hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. Magnuson gave up four runs on two hits and a walk, striking out one in 2.2 IP. Bailey surrendered a run on a hit and a walk in an inning of work.
UCONN starter Rich Sirois (6-3) took the loss, giving up seven runs, four of which were earned on 10 hits and a walk in 5.2 frames.
Burton paced the 18-hit attack with a 4 for 5 effort, driving in three and scoring twice. U of L has scored 39 runs on 49 hits in their last three games, including 21 runs on 34 hits in two tournament games.
Haley, Castillo and Alfonso each had three hits. Haley moves into sole possession of third in U of L history with 769 career at bats and fifth with 244 hits.
Bailey is now tied with Brian Halford for the lead in career appearances with 96, and he extends his season record with 34 outings. Rosenberg made his 42nd career start, good for second all-time, and his 15 starts this season is tied for 5th.
If the Cardinals were to win on Friday, they would advance to the championship game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., a game that will be carried live on ESPNU. Should they lose, they will turn around and face the same opponent at 5:00 p.m. Friday in an elimination game that would send the winner of that tilt to the title game.
