University of Louisville
Kentucky
Cards Drop Extra-Inning Heartbreaker 7-6 to UK
April 09, 2008 | Baseball
April 8, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky's Keenan Wiley hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the 12th inning, giving the No. 9 Wildcats a 7-6 win over the University of Louisville in the 84th meeting of the bluegrass nines Tuesday night in front of a school record 4,009 fans at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The Cardinals (16-13) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a wild play. Andrew Clark singled and Jeff Arnold took a 3-2 pitch for ball four as Clark took off with the payoff pitch, which was wild. Clark never stopped, heading to third, and when UK catcher Tyler Howe gathered the ball and threw down to third, it bounced away as Clark took off for the plate. The Cats third baseman Chris McClendon then threw late to the plate, into the Wildcat dugout and both runners scored.
Wiley's RBI single in the UK second plated Troy Frazier to cut the lead to 2-1.
Brian Spear's two-run home run with one out in the fifth to put the Cats (26-5) on top 3-2. A Spear sac fly scored Wiley in the sixth, making it 4-2 Cats.
Arnold reached on a fielder's choice on the seventh after a one-out single by Clark that snapped a stretch of 16 straight retired by UK starter Clint Tilford.
Phil Wunderlich then hit a pinch single to the gap in right that moved Arnold to third. Jared Wondra pinch ran at first for Wunderlich, and Tyler Mickits, who returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a knee injury, singled home Arnold to cut the lead to 4-3.
Freshman Drew Haynes then singled over the third baseman McClendon down the left field line, but Wondra was cut down at the plate, preserving a one run lead.
John Dao singled to open the Louisville seventh and Josh Richmond walked. An out later Chris Dominguez drilled a 2-0 pitch out to left for his ninth home run of the season, putting the Cards on top 6-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, Wiley hit a leadoff double and Ryan Wilkes singled. An error allowed Collin Cowgill to reach safely and cut the UofL lead to 6-5.
A sac bunt by Spear moved the runners over and Brian Rose's sac fly to left tied the game at six.
A leadoff double by Wikes and a walk to Cowgill put two on with nobody out for the Cats in the 10th.
A 3-2 pitch to Spear with the runners going appeared to be a called third strike, and the subsequent throw to third was ahead of Wilkes for what looked to be a double play, but home plate umpire Matt Hughes ruled ball four and everyone was safe on the play, loading the bases with nobody out. Head Coach Dan McDonnell came out to dispute the call and was ejected by Hughes.
With bases full and nobody out, the Cards pulled in the infield and outfield, and pinch hitter Chris Bisson hit a sharp one-hopper to short that Dao gloved and threw to home to get the force and the first out of the inning.
Then with one away and the middle infielder's back with the bases full, B.J Rosenberg induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and send the game to the 11th.
Cardinal starter Bob Revesz gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk, striking out two, while going a career-long 4.1 innings in his first career start.
Zack Pitts struck out one in a third of an inning, and was followed by Justin Marks, who was touched for a run on two hits and a walk, striking out one in an inning.
Thomas Royse surrendered two runs, one of which was earned in an inning-plus on three hits, striking out three.
Rosenberg was superb, twirling four scoreless innings, giving up a hit and three walks, one of which was intentional, striking out four, including a 1-2-3 11th before he exited for Gavin Logsdon (0-2), who allowed the home run to Wiley.
Tyler Henry was the last of six UK pitchers, and he improved to 2-0 with the win, working one inning of one-hit relief.
Clark had three hits for the Cards, while Haynes and Dao each had two.
Cardinal senior catcher Derrick Alfonso was hit on the hand by a foul tip in the bottom of the sixth and had to leave the ballgame prior to his next at bat. He will have x-rays taken on Wednesday.
Forty-two players, including 12 pitchers were used in the four-hour and 14 minute marathon.
The Cardinals will return home Wednesday when they will host Marshall at 6:00 p.m. ET.
