University of Louisville
NOTRE DAME *<br> (Game One)
Magnuson Seals Twinbill Sweep of Irish
May 12, 2007 | Baseball
May 12, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trystan Magnuson picked up a pair of saves and the University of Louisville drove in all seven runs with two out RBI in sweeping a double header from Notre Dame 3-1 in the opener and 4-3 in the nightcap Saturday.
"It is something that we stress to our kids, to drive in runs with two away," noted Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
Notre Dame's David Phelps and Louisville's Zack Pitts engaged in a pitcher's duel in game one, each working six scoreless innings before each team punched in a single run in the seventh.
The Irish (27-23, 10-12 BIG EAST) picked up a leadoff double by Matt Welgarz, and a groundout to second by Danny Dressman put him at third with one out. Jeremy Barnes hit a ground ball to third with the infield in, Chris Dominguez fielded it and threw to the plate where Cardinal catcher Derrick Alfonso sealed off the plate and placed a tag on Welgarz, but home plate umpire Jim Jackson ruled the runner was safe, and the Irish had a 1-0 lead.
Louisville (35-16, 16-7 BIG EAST) knotted the game when Justin McClanahan was hit by a pitch with two away and Alfonso roped a double down the right field line to plate the tying run.
In the Cardinal eighth, Isaiah Howes reached on a two-out infield single, Jorge Castillo matched the effort and was replaced by pinch runner Pete Rodriguez. Domiguez then stepped to the plate, having gone 0 for 3 with three strikeouts, and drilled a 1-1 pitch inside the third base bag for a two-run double that proved to be the difference.
Pitts improved to 8-3 with the win, tying him with eight other pitchers for third all-time in single season wins in Cardinal history. The junior righty from Elizabethtown allowed a run on four hits and a walk, striking out five in eight dominant innings. He ranks ninth in single season innings with 94.1.
Magnuson logged his seventh save of the season, giving up a hit and a walk in the ninth.
Phelps took the loss and fell to 8-4 on the year, surrendering three runs on eight his and three walks, while equalling his season-high with 11 K's. Jess Stewart gave up a hit and walked one before getting the final out of the eighth.
In game two, the Irish wasted no time ending Cardinal starter Justin Marks' consecutive scoreless inning streaks at 15.1, as Mike Dury's RBI single scored leadoff man Brett Lilley for a quick 1-0 lead.
In the Cardinal half of the third, Daniel Burton was hit by a pitch and Howes legged out an infield single, before Castillo drilled double into the right field corner that gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Notre Dame's Ryan Smith doubled home Dressman in the top of the fourth to knot the game at two, but the Cards responded in the bottom of the inning.
McClanahan doubled down the left field line, Alfonso was hit in the helmet by a pitch and a sac bunt by Cates put two in scoring position. An out later Logan Johnson drilled a single to right and two runs scored for a 4-2 U of L advantage.
A two-out solo home run by Dury with two out in the eighth, cut the lead to a single run, but Magnuson again shut the door in the ninth.
The fifth-year senior from Louisville Manual High School allowed a hit and hit a batter, picking up a strikeout and his eighth save of the season and ninth of his career.
He is now tied for fifth on the single season list and tied for sixth on the career chart.
Marks exited after four innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out a career-best eight. Kyle Hollander came on an served up three scoreless innings, permitting a hit and two walks, striking out one to pick up the win and improve his record to 3-1 on the season.
Gavin Logsdon gave up a run on a hit in an inning out of the bullpen.
ND game two starter Dan Kapala (0-5) took the loss surrendering four runs on six hits in four innings. Joey Williamson twirled four innings of one-hit baseball, striking out three.
McClanahan, Castillo and Howes each had three hits in the twin-bill, while Castillo, Dominguez and Johnson each drove in a pair of runs.
Cates has now played in 222 games, more than any other player in Cardinal history. Howes is now fourth (211), Whiting is tied for seventh (207) and Burton and Johnson are both tied for ninth (205). Cates' 830 at bats is now second on the career list, Howes is tied for fourth with 776 and Whiting sits in ninth with 737 at bats.
Cates logged his 254th hit to place him in a tie for second, while Howes is alone in eighth (242).
Johnson moved into an eighth place tie with his 106th walk of his career and his BIG EAST leading 23rd double of the season is tied for second in Cardinal history.
Howes belted his 16th career triple to put him in a tie for third place in the U of L books.
Magnuson and Pitts have career ERA's of 3.23, tying them for the second-best number in school history.
Louisville will look for the sweep of the Irish Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium, where admission is free.
Burton, Cates, Hollander, Howes, Johnson, Magnuson, Skylar Meade, Rodriguez, Whiting and Blake Williams, the ten seniors on the Cardinal roster, will all be honored in a pregame ceremony as they play in their final weekend game of the regular season in The Ville.
"It was a great day and a great atmosphere, and I hope that people come out to the ball park tomorrow, because these seniors have put in four and five years of sweat and work and they love this University and it would be great for our fans to give back to these guys," McDonnell added.
