University of Louisville
IOWA
Louisville Baseball Drops 2-1 Decision to Iowa on Sunday
March 15, 2009 | Baseball
March 15, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 25th-ranked Louisville baseball team gave up a pair of early runs and was never able to overcome the deficit dropping a 2-1 decision to the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
The loss was the first at home this season for Louisville (10-5) and it ended a six-game winning streak overall for the Cardinals, who won Saturday's series opener 7-2. The deciding game of the series is set for Monday at noon ET at Jim Patterson Stadium, where Louisville is now 9-1 on the season.
Following a scoreless first inning, Louisville starter Tyler Mathis gave up a pair of runs in the second inning for the early 2-0 lead for Iowa (3-8). The inning started with Mathis (0-2), who took the loss, hitting leftfielder Kurtis Muller and continued with an infield single off the bat of first baseman T.J. Cataldo.
After both runners advanced on a groundout to second base by centerfielder Ryan Durant, rightfielder Phil Keppler doubled to left field to score both runners and give the Hawkeyes the 2-0 advantage.
The Cards got on the board and cut the Iowa lead in half in the fourth inning as junior third baseman Chris Dominguez led off the inning with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a single through the right side by sophomore outfielder Phil Wunderlich and then scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore outfielder Josh Richmond. The Cards were looking for more in the inning as sophomore shortstop Ryan Wright walked and was followed by an infield single by senior outfielder Alec Lowrey, but with the bases loaded and only one out, senior catcher Kyle Cheesebrough grounded into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
The Louisville bullpen kept the Cards in it despite the cold bats allowing no runs and only four hits in 7.0 innings of work. Junior Matt Lea replaced Mathis in the third inning and pitched 3.1 innings allowing only two hits. Senior Gavin Logsdon recorded one out in the sixth, while sophomore Gabriel Shaw allowed only one hit in 2.1 innings. Freshman Tony Zych recorded the final three outs in the ninth to close an impressive day for the Louisville relievers.
However, the Cardinal offense was never able to capitalize against the Iowa pitching staff as starter Michael Jacobs (1-3) picked up his first win of the season after allowing only one run on eight hits in 6.0 innings. Patrick Schatz didn't allow a hit in his 1.2 innings of relief and Mike Schurz came on to record the final four outs of the game and earn his second save of the season.
Duvall finished 2-for-4 from the plate to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, while Lowrey was 2-for-3 to push his career best hitting streak to eight games. Dominguez was 1-for-3 to extend his streak to nine straight games with a hit, but Wright, who entered the day with a 13-game hitting streak, finished 0-for-3 to end his impressive run.
The loss ended the Cards' nine-game winning streak at Jim Patterson to open the 2009 season, which was the longest such streak since 1999 when Louisville won 10 straight at Cardinal Stadium.
Following the series finale with the Hawkeyes on Monday, the Cards will continue their nine-game homestand on Wednesday against in-state foe Morehead State at 3 p.m. ET. Louisville will open BIG EAST action on Friday at 3 p.m., with the first of three straight against the Georgetown Hoyas.
