University of Louisville
PITTSBURGH *
Pitts Pitches Cards Past Pitt 7-1
April 05, 2007 | Baseball
April 5, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Zack Pitts tossed eight innings of one-hit baseball and senior Boomer Whiting went 5 for 5 at the plate as the University of Louisville Cardinals opened their three-game series against Pitt with a 7-1 victory Thursday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Louisville has now won a season-best seven straight and 12 of its last 13.
"Just as he has all season, Zack put our team in a position to win," said pitching coach Roger Williams.
The Panthers (11-14, 5-4 BIG EAST) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on the only hit Pitts would allow, a solo home run by Gary Bucuren with two away.
Louisville (21-8, 6-1 BIG EAST) quickly evened the game in the bottom of the first. Whiting leadoff with a bunt single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly to right by Daniel Burton. The base hit by Whiting extends his career-long hit streak to 18 games.
The Cards took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Chris Dominguez hit a leadoff single to left and scored when Pete Rodriguez doubled down the right field line on a hit and run. Rodriguez advanced to third on the throw to the plate and then scored on a sac fly by Derrick Alfonso that gave the Cards a 3-1 lead.
Rodriguez was involved again in the U of L fourth, hitting a leadoff single, advancing on a sac bunt by Alfonso and groundout by Chris Cates before scoring on an RBI single by Whiting to make it 4-1.
Isaiah Howes smacked a 1-1 pitch over the fence down the right field line for his eighth home run of the season with one out in the Cardinal sixth, and a 5-1 Cardinal advantage.
Whiting hit a leadoff single in the seventh, his fourth hit of the day, and after Logan Johnson doubled down the right field line a sac fly by pinch hitter Alec Lowrey upped the Cardinal lead to 6-1.
Howes drew a leadoff walk in the eighth and scored on a bunt single by Whiting, giving him the first five hit game of his career and the 7-1 final.
Pitts, who improved to 5-1 on the season, retired the next 11 following the home run. After a walk to Nick Mullins with one out in the fifth, he set down the final 11 he faced, seeing just two over the minimum. Pitts struck out eight, including six on called third strikes.
Dominguez took the hill and tossed a scoreless ninth, allowing a hit and a walk.
Pitt starter Rob Brant (2-4) took the loss as he went the distance, allowing the seven runs on 12 hits and two walks, to go with eight strikeouts of his own.
Whiting drove in two and scored twice, also stealing his 38th base on the season. The Cardinals 6-7-8 batters in the order, Howes, Rodriguez and Alfonso, went a combined 3 for 8 with a double, home run, three RBI and four runs scored.
"We continue to compete offensively and get contributions from guys up and down the lineup," noted Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
Cates singled in the second to give him a 12-game hit streak. He has hit safely in 23 of his last 24 games.
U of L will host the Panthers in game two of the series Friday night at 6:00 p.m. ET. Admission is free.
Admission to the baseball game against Kentucky on Wednesday, April 11 is still free, but there will be reserved seating in the grandstand. Free tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis at Friday and Saturday's games against Pitt or at the U of L ticket offices in the Student Activities Center and at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Monday through Wednesday.
Fans on the 11th are encouraged to park at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, as there will be a complimentary shuttle running beginning at 4:30 p.m. and continuing until game time at 6:00 p.m. The shuttle will resume following the game.
