University of Louisville
WEST VIRGINIA *
Castillo's Seven RBI Powers Cards Past WVU 16-5
March 31, 2007 | Baseball
March 31, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Jorge Castillo belted the first grand slam in Jim Patterson Stadium history and drove in a career-best seven to lead the University of Louisville to a 16-5 thumping of West Virginia Saturday afternoon. Louisville, alone atop the BIG EAST standings, will attempt to sweep the Mountaineers Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Head Coach Dan McDonnell was happy to see the offense open things up in the win on Saturday.
"It was a great day for the offense against a very good BIG EAST opponent and I'm really proud of the guys. We've got a great opportunity tomorrow now to do something that doesn't happen very often with the sweep."
The Cardinals (18-8, 4-1 BIG EAST) manufactured a run in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Boomer Whiting was hit by a pitch, stole second, and after a walk to Logan Johnson, stole third on the front end of a double steal before Castillo's RBI groundout to short plated Whiting.
Louisville added four more in their half of the second.
Isaiah Howes was hit by a pitch to open the inning and an out plater Derrick Alfonso was also plunked. Chris Cates singled in Howes and after a fielder's choice and an error put Whiting and Johnson on, Daniel Burton and Castillo belted consecutive RBI singles for a 5-0 Cardinal lead.
WVU's (15-7, 3-2 BIG EAST) Adam White doubled to open the top of the fourth and scored on an RBI single by Justin Jenkins, putting the Mountaineers on the board, but Louisville answered in the bottom of the fourth.
Johnson walked, Burton was hit by a pitch and Castillo moved them both up with his third sac bunt of the season. A wild pitch brought in Johnson, and after a fielder's choice, Howes hammered a first pitch fastball on to the berm in left for his sixth home run of the season and an 8-1 lead.
Pete Rodriguez singled and stole second and scored on an RBI single by Alfonso for a 9-1 advantage.
An RBI fielder's choice by White and a two-run single by Tyler Kuhn cut the advantage to 9-4, but Cardinal starter Justin Marks struck out Jenkins to end the fifth inning and the threat.
Marks (2-1) picked up the win for the Cards, allowing four runs - three earned on five hits and a walk in five plus innings, equalling his career-high with six strikeouts.
U of L again had an answer as Castillo followed Burton's double into the left field corner with his second RBI single of the day in the Cardinal fifth.
Jordan Yost singled home Justin Parks in the WVU sixth to make it 10-5 before the Cards put it out of reach in the seventh.
Whiting singled to extend his career-long hit streak to 15 games leading off the frame. Johnson walked for the third time in the afternoon and Burton was plunked to load up the bases for Castillo. The Miami native jumped on a first pitch fastball and powered it over the fence in right for his second home run of the season and first career grand slam.
"Jorge had a phenomenal day, even before the grand slam he had great at bats when we wanted him to move the runner over, the hit and run, the sacrifice, he is really able to do a lot at the plate," McDonnell added.
Dominguez followed the blast by drawing a walk, Howes singled and Alfonso drove in his second run of the day. Whiting and Johnson were then hit by consecutive pitches to push across the final run of the game.
WVU starter Levi Maxwell (4-1) lasted just 3.2 innings in the loss, surrendering nine runs, six of which were earned on eight hits and two walks, striking out two. Joe Stupka was touched for seven runs on five hits and two walks in 2.1 IP. Trent Ridgley and Yost each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Mountaineers.
Kyle Hollander followed Marks for the Cardinals and gave up a run on four hits and a walk, fanning one in two innings of relief.
Sophomore Gavin Logsdon retired all six he faced, striking out three.
Castillo and Howes each had three hits, while Burton, Rodriguez and Alfonso had two apiece. Every player in the starting lineup either drove in or scored one of the Cardinals' season-high 16 runs.
Whiting added three more steals, extending his school record to 36 on the season. He has 75 in his career, 15 away from the career record of 90 held by Curtis Watson ('83-86).
The Cards were plunked nine times on the afternoon.
Admission is free to all regular season home games at Patterson Stadium.
