McClanahan and Rosenberg Shine in Scrimmage
October 18, 2007 | Baseball
Oct. 18, 2007
Box Score and Play-by-Play in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Justin McClanahan was 2 for 4 with four RBI and B.J. Rosenberg struck out five in three scoreless innings to highlight the second annual Pizza Bowl, a game that was cut short by severe weather and ended in a 6-6 tie.
"Ties are not fun, but we did play with a lot of energy and enthusiasm," said Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
" I was pleased how each team was able to respond when the other team made an offensive statement."
The offense took charge early in the game.
Xan's Zephyrs, coached by assistant coach Xan Barksdale faced Lemo's Lumberjacks with assistant Chris Lemonis at the helm.
Freshman Drew Haynes opened the game for the Zephyrs with a single to right center, and fellow freshman Grason Wiggins followed with a single of his own, ahead of an RBI double off the top of the wall in left center by first baseman Andrew Clark that scored a run.
An RBI groundout by freshman Josh Richmond made it 2-0, Alec Lowrey's double down the left field line plated another and an RBI single by catcher Derrick Alfonso capped a four-run first.
The Lumberjacks answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first.
With one away, freshman Phil Wunderlich doubled to right center, clipping the top of the wall, and narrowly missing a home run. McClanahan followed with a ball that made no doubt about leaving the yard, sending a pitch up on to the berm in left to cut the lead to 4-2.
Sophomore Chris Dominguez followed McClanahan by lifting a towering fly ball to left that the wind helped carry on to the berm for back-to-back home runs and a one run deficit.
Zephyr starter Zack Pitts, reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, and his Lumberjack counterpart Justin Marks, BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, settled in after the shaky first.
Pitts worked three innings, allowing the three runs on six hits, striking out three. He did not walk a batter.
Marks faced one batter in the third, allowing the four runs on six hits and a walk, fanning one in his two-plus innings.
He was replaced by Rosenberg, who returns to the Cardinals after shoulder surgery forced a medical redshirt last season. The only blemish on the senior's record was a bloop single down the right field line off the bat of Lowrey.
Rosenberg retired the last eight he faced.
James Belanger replaced Pitts to start the fourth and worked a quick 1-2-3 inning.
Kyle Cheesebrough was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth, and Jared Wondra's ground ball to second resulted in a fielder's choice that put runners at second and third.
John Dao laid down a sac bunt that was mishandled by Alfonso to load the bases with nobody out.
A sac fly by Wunderlich plated Cheesebrough and McClanahan ripped a two-run triple off the wall in right for a 6-4 lead.
Freshman lefty Bob Revesz preserved the lead with two hitless innings, giving up a walk.
Freshman Gabriel Shaw retired the side in order, striking out two after a lead off single by Jeff Arnold in the bottom of the sixth.
The Zephyr's Joe Stilphen gave up a leadoff single to Dao and Wunderlich was hit by a pitch, but he was cut down on the back end of a double steal attempt at second by Alfonso. Stilphen fanned McClanahan and fellow freshman hurler Thomas Royse took the hill and struck out Dominguez to end the threat.
Clark was hit by freshman reliever Jon Clarence to open the top of the eighth. After Richmond reached on a fielder's choice to erase Clark, Richmond was caught stealing by Arnold. But Lowrey was hit by a pitch, and after Dean Kiekhefer replaced Clarence the Zephyrs knotted the game.
A single by Alfonso put runners at second and third when he took second on the throw to third. A wild pitch plated Lowrey and a passed ball sent Alfonso home to knot the game at six.
The Lumberjacks had runners at second and third on a single by Tyler Mickits, an intentional walk to Arnold and a sac bunt by freshman Stewart Ijames with one out, when the umpires called the game due to a severe thunderstorm that moved into the area.
Gavin Logsdon retired the only batter he faced on the sac bunt by Ijames.
Arnold, Lowrey and Alfonso each had two hits to join McClanahan with multi-hit efforts. Lowrey was the only Cardinal to score twice.
The game concludes the fall season for a Cardinal team that is coming off of its first trip to the College World Series. The 2008 season will begin on February 22.
