University of Louisville
USF *
Cardinal Bullpen Shuts Down Bulls in 4-2 Win
April 29, 2007 | Baseball
April 29, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville bullpen combined for five innings of one-hit, shutout baseball and Chris Dominguez and Daniel Burton each drove in two runs as the Cardinals defeated USF 4-2 Sunday to capture the weekend series two games to one.
Boomer Whiting lead of the first with a single to left, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a groundout by Logan Johnson and scored on an RBI groundout by Burton for a 1-0 Cardinal lead.
The Bulls (28-18, 10-11 BIG EAST) knotted the game at one on Brandin Daniel's RBI single in the fourth.
The Cards (30-13, 13-5 BIG EAST) recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Burton and Isaiah Howes drew back-to-back walks and after a sac bunt by Jorge Castillo bumped them both into scoring position, Dominguez drilled a two-run single to left, putting U of L on top 3-1.
USF loaded the bases in the fifth with nobody out, but Kyle Hollander, who replaced starter Colby Wark, limited the Bulls to only a sac fly to left by Ty Taborelli that cut the U of L advantage to 3-2.
Wark tossed four innings and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits and three walks while fanning four.
The Cards loaded the bases with one away in the bottom of the fifth, but USF reliever Yuri Higgins fanned Howes and Castillo to end the threat.
Hollander (2-1), who picked up the win, walked two in an inning and a third before giving way to Skylar Meade in the sixth. Meade struck out pinch hitter Ryan Soares and then loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Walter Diaz before getting a 3-2 groundout to short by Braulio Pardo, ending the inning.
Meade set down the first two batters in the seventh, but Addison Maruszak's double and a walk to Daniel put the tying run in scoring position.
Trystan Magnuson entered and on the first pitch, Charles Cleveland lined out to left to keep it 3-2 Cards. Meade tossed an inning and a third, allowing a hit and two walks while striking out one.
"Anytime you get in that situation with the bullpen with runners on, the object is to minimize and our guys did a tremendous job today. Trystan was dominant and did a great job bouncing back after working a 1-2-3 ninth last night," noted Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
With two down in the Cardinal seventh, Burton roped his career-best sixth home of the season to straightaway center field for an insurance run. Burton has now driven in a career-best 36 runs on the season.
Magnuson then made quick work of the Bulls with 1-2-3 eighth and ninth innings, retiring all seven he faced, striking out two to earn his fifth save of the season. That total ties him for 10th in single season Cardinal history.
USF starter Shawn Stanford (1-3) was touched for three runs on five hits and two walks in 4.1 innings, striking out five in the loss. Davis Bilardello saw the only batter he faced reach on an error, while Higgins allowed a run on two hits and two walks, striking out four over the final 3.2 IP.
Whiting and Howes each had two hits for the Cards, while Burton was 1 for 2 with a pair of walks and two runs scored to go with his two RBI.
The 2007 Cardinals are tied with the 1999 and 2002 teams for the second fastest to 30 wins, doing it in 43 games. The 1984 Cards opened the year 30-9.
Louisville will host Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night at 6:00 in Jim Patterson Stadium. Admission is free.
