University of Louisville
CONNECTICUT*
Six-Run Sixth Seals 10-7 Win Over Huskies
March 21, 2008 | Baseball
March 21, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A six-run sixth inning and some solid bullpen work lifted the University of Louisville baseball team to a 10-7 win over UConn on a beautiful Friday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cards have won the first two games of the BIG EAST opening series.
The Cardinals trailed 2-0 through three, and were down 7-4 after the top of the sixth.
"That's good for a young club like ours to come from behind," said Head Coach Dan McDonnell.
Elliot Glynn lifted a triple off the wall in right center with one out in the first and scored on an RBI groundout by Pat Mahoney, giving the Huskies (7-9, 2-3 BIG EAST) a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third Matt Burnett drew a one out walk, stole second, and an out later Glynn's double to right center made it 2-0 UConn.
Louisville (11-6, 2-0 BIG EAST) took advantage of a bout of wildness by UConn starter Dan Mahoney in a three-run fourth to take the lead.
Eight straight pitches strayed from the zone to walk John Dao and Andrew Clark. Justin McClanahan then drilled a 1-0 pitch to the corner in left, extending his team-best hit streak to 11 consecutive games and cutting the lead to one. Chris Dominguez then singled home two more for a 3-2 Louisville advantage.
A leadoff walk to Stewart Ijames in the fifth turned into the fourth Cardinal run on an RBI groundout by Dao.
The wheels fell off the Cardinal cart defensively in the top half of the sixth inning. Four Cardinal errors lead to five unearned runs, all with two out, giving UConn a 7-4 lead. The Huskies patched together five consecutive two-out singles, including a pair of two-run knocks by Joe Pavone and Pierre LaPage.
But the Cards responded in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for good.
McClanahan and Dominguez opened with consecutive singles and Josh Richmond walked to load the bases and chase Dan Mahoney from the game.
John Folino (1-1) came on in relief and promptly surrendered a two-run double to Jeff Arnold on the first pitch he threw. A sac fly by Ijames tied the game at seven and Nate Holland's RBI double gave the Cards the lead.
Drew Haynes then reached on a bunt single and Dao closed the scoring with a two-run double to left-center.
UofL starter Justin Marks logged 5.2 innings, allowing seven runs, and could not get out of the frustrating and error-laden sixth. He took a no-decision despite allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out two.
Matt Lea (1-0) entered and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up two hits and a walk, to secure his first win as a Cardinal.
Bob Revesz retired the first four he faced before hitting a batter and giving way to closer Gabriel Shaw, who notched his fourth save on the season with a scoreless inning of work.
"It was a real joy to see this team respond after that really bad inning. All of the momentum was on UConn's side, but we came right back and scored six and our young bullpen came out and pumped the ball into the zone," McDonnell added.
Mahoney allowed six earned runs on five hits and four walks, striking out one in four-plus innings. Folino took the loss, giving up three runs on four hits in three innings, fanning three.
Dao, McClanahan and Dominguez each had two hits for the Cards.
The teams will close the series Saturday in a game that will start at 12:00 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. Admission is free.
