University of Louisville
CLEVELAND STATE
No. 22 Baseball's Late Rally Falls Short
February 24, 2008 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville sent the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but were unable to complete a late rally, falling to Cleveland State 8-5 Sunday afternoon. By virtue of the doubleheader sweep Saturday, the Cards won the series two games to one.
Cardinal starter B.J. Rosenberg took the hill for the first time in nearly two seasons and dominated on his first trip through the order, setting down the side in order in each of the first three innings, but trouble struck in the fourth.
Consecutive doubles opened the frame for a 1-0 Viking lead (1-2), and Kyle Bischof's single plated a second run. Josh Hungerman singled and John Foco walked to load the bases and Josh Geric's single and a second Cardinal error in the inning allowed three more runs to score for a 5-0 lead.
"We try to avoid the big inning, but we did a poor job in the fourth," Head Coach Dan McDonnell said.
The Cardinal bats responded in the bottom of the inning. Chris Dominguez doubled down the right field line and moved to third on a hard single to left by Justin McClanahan. Stewart Ijames reached on an RBI fielder's choice, with a throwing error on CSU first baseman Foco allowing McClanahan to reach second safely.
Alec Lowrey sacrificed the runners over a bag and Derrick Alfonso hit an RBI groundout, ahead of Jeff Arnold's RBI infield single that cut the lead to 5-3.
But the Vikings got all three runs back in the top of the fifth on RBI base hits by Bischof, Foco and Alex Kerins to make it 8-3.
Phil Wunderlich hit a pinch single to open the Cardinal seventh and after a pair of groundouts moved pinch runner Greg Del George to third, CSU starter Brian Long balked in a run to cut the lead to four runs.
In the UofL ninth, Alfonso drilled a double to right center, Arnold singled up the middle and pinch hitter Tyler Mickits hit a sharp single down the right field line, plating Alfonso and putting the tying run at the plate.
Drew Haynes reached on a fielder's choice, keeping the tying run in the batter's box in Andrew Clark, but a tough called third strike ended his at bat and Dominguez fielder's choice ended the game.
Long (1-0) went eight innings to earn the win, giving up four runs - two earned, while scattering nine hits and a walk and striking out eight. Chris Bauman entered in the ninth, and allowed a run on three straight hits without recording an out, giving way to Vasili Pahoulis who picked up the save, striking out one in the ninth.
Rosenberg was tagged with the loss, surrendering eight runs - seven earned, on eight hits and a walk, striking out four in 4.1 innings.
A pair of Cardinal freshman made impressive debuts, with Dean Kiekhefer hurling three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two, while Neil Holland gave up a hit and struck out one in an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief.
"We definitely learned a lot about our team this weekend. You'd obviously like to win while you are learning about your young club, but overall the freshman pitched very well this weekend," McDonnell added.
Arnold was 3 for 4 at the plate, while Alfonso and McClanahan each had two hits for the Cards.
Buell logged a four-hit day for the Vikings.
Louisville remains at home Tuesday, hosting Wright State at 3:00 p.m. before heading to Charlestown, South Carolina for a weekend tournament hosted by The Citadel.
Admission to Cardinal regular season home games is free.
