University of Louisville
WEST VIRGINIA *
Cards Trim Mountaineers 4-3 Friday Night
March 30, 2007 | Baseball
March 30, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Boomer Whiting's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth was the difference as the University of Louisville baseball team edged West Virginia 4-3 in the series opener Friday night at Jim Patterson Stadium.
First pitch of Saturday's game two of the three-game set has been moved up to 2:00 p.m. ET due to anticipated rains in the area Saturday afternoon.
"It was great to see us get some two out hits and win a close game," noted Cardinal Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
A pitcher's duel early saw Cardinal ace Zack Pitts and WVU starter Matt Yurish battle through four scoreless innings before the an RBI infield single by Justin Jenkins and an RBI ground-rule double off the bat of Austin Markel put the Mountaineers (15-6, 3-1 BIG EAST) up 2-0 in the top of the fifth.
U of L (17-8, 3-1 BIG EAST) responded in the bottom of the sixth.
Chris Dominguez singled, Isaiah Howes walked and an errant pick-off attempt by Yurish put two runners in scoring position for Pete Rodriguez, who belted an 0-2 pitch into center to tie the game at two.
Derrick Alfonso then reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, and with two outs, Whiting gave the Cards their first lead of the evening plating Alfonso on a single to center.
WVU knotted the game at three when Trent Ridgley's double to right center brought home an unearned run in the top of the eighth.
In the Cardinal eighth, Howes beat out an infield single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Rodriguez. Chris Cates reached on an infield single an out later, setting up the game winning single by Whiting.
Pitts tossed 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run, scattering nine hits and a walk while striking out five.
"This wasn't Pitts' sharpest outing, but he really battled to keep us in the game and Colby and Trystan gave us a great effort out of the pen," McDonnell added.
Pitts, a junior from Elizabethtown, celebrated his 21st birthday Friday, but did not figure into the decision.
Colby Wark entered with the go-ahead run at second, and after walking Jenkins, struck out Markel to end the seventh.
Trystan Magnuson (1-0) picked up his first win of the season, allowing an unearned run on two hits, while striking out two in two innings of work. He stranded the tying run at second in the ninth, getting a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch to Jenkins and a groundout to first by Markel. Magnuson, a Louisville Manual graduate, has not allowed an earned run in 21.1 innings this season, striking out 23.
Yurish (1-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing all four runs on eight hits and two walks in seven innings, striking out seven. Billy Gross, who surrendered the single to Whiting, gave up two hits in an inning out of the pen.
Whiting was 3 for 5 with the two huge RBI, extending his career-best hitting streak to 14 games.
Admission to all regular season games at Patterson is free and the second installment of the limited edition Cardinal trading Cards will be handed out Saturday featuring the 2007 Cardinal players and coaches.
