University of Louisville
KENTUCKY
Dominguez Drops the Wildcats in the Ninth
April 22, 2008 | Baseball
April 22, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Third baseman Chris Dominguez drilled a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give the University of Louisville baseball team a 6-5 walk-off win over rival No. 17 Kentucky snapping a 22-game non-conference winning streak, in front of a regular season record crowd of 3,652 fans that packed Jim Patterson Stadium Tuesday night.
Collin Cowgill reached on a one-out single in the top of the first, and an out later, UK(30-10) DH Brian Rose hit a two-run home run, his second of the season, for a 2-0 lead.
Rose then opened the fourth with a carbon-copy of his first home run, this time a solo shot that extended the Kentucky lead to 3-0.
The Cards (24-15) took their first lead of the game with a four-run fifth.
Jeff Arnold and Stewart Ijames drew consecutive walks, and an out later freshman Drew Haynes drilled an RBI double down the left field line that put the Cards on the board.
John Dao then followed with a two-run single that put the game into a 3-3 deadlock.
Phil Wunderlich was then hit by a pitch and Justin McClanahan drew his second walk of the game to load the bases for Dominguez who began his full evening of heroics with a sac fly to center to put the Cards on top 4-3.
But the lead would be short lived.
Consecutive two-out doubles by Chris Wade and Tyler Howe knotted the game at four in the sixth, and an RBI double by Rose in the seventh put the Cats back on top 5-4.
That's when Dominguez brought the overflow crowd to their collective feet.
Facing UK reliever Aaron Lovett, the sophomore slugger took a 2-1 pitch on to a crowded terrace in left field for a 5-5 ball game. The towering shot was his BIG EAST leading 13th of the season, and his 21st home run in his last 48 games, dating back to the 2007 postseason.
Matt Lea (2-0), who had shut the Wildcats down in order in the eighth, stepped to the hill in the ninth and picked up a pair of groundouts, before striking out Cowgill on four pitches to send the tie game into the home half of the ninth.
Josh Richmond singled up the middle to open the inning and moved to second on Haynes' ninth sac bunt of the season.
An intentional walk to Dao put two on for pinch hitter Tyler Christensen, who walked to load the bases with one out.
McClanahan struck out, setting the stage for Dominguez, who belted Brock Baber's 2-0 pitch into the gap in left center to plate Richmond for the win.
Lea retired all six he faced, fanning one to earn the win.
He was preceded by freshman starter Thomas Royse, who gave up three runs on six hits, striking out one in 3.2 innings. Fellow frosh Gabriel Shaw tossed 3.1 frames, allowing two runs on six hits to go with a strikeout.
UK reliever Andrew Albers (6-2) was saddled with the loss giving up a run on a hit and two walks in an inning plus.
Dao extended his career-best hit streak to 11 games, and Arnold has now hit safely in a career-best 10 straight.
Dominguez ended his monster night going 2 for 4 at the plate with three RBI. Arnold and Wunderlich each had two hits for the Cards.
The Cardinals have five games remaining in a nine-game home stand, hosting conference rival Cincinnati for a three-game weekend series that begins on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET at Patterson Stadium. Admission is free.
