University of Louisville
TOLEDO
Toledo Knocks Off No. 16 Baseball with Late Rally
February 26, 2011 | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Toledo Rockets scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally past the 16th-ranked Louisville baseball team 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
With the loss, Louisville dropped to 3-2 overall, while Toledo improved to 2-3 this season. The two teams will conclude their series on Sunday at noon p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Junior second baseman Ryan Wright (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead HS) led the way for the Cardinals finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. However, the rest of the Cardinals struggled at the plate going a combined 2-for-28 as Louisville was out-hit 9-5 overall by Toledo.
After two scoreless innings to open the game, Louisville started the scoring in the third on a two-out, RBI triple to right center by Wright to score freshman outfielder Adam Engel (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS), who reached base earlier in the inning with a walk.
An inning later, Toledo evened the score at 1-1 as Jim Vahalik was hit by a pitch from Louisville starter Justin Amlung (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier HS), moved to third on a single through the right side by Ben Hammer and then scored on an RBI single to left by Wes White. That was the only run of the day allowed by Amlung, who gave up just five hits with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings for the no-decision.
Following a scoreless fifth inning, Louisville regained the lead at 2-1 in the sixth after Wright led off the inning with a walk, moved to second and then third on wild pitches and later scored on a RBI groundout by junior outfielder Stewart Ijames (Owensboro, Ky./Owensboro Catholic HS).
The score remained that way until the ninth, when the Rockets regained the lead for good with a three-run rally. The inning started with Vahalik reaching base on a throwing error by freshman shortstop Alex Chittenden (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central HS) and continued with Hammer reaching base on a bunt single down the third base line. Following a sacrifice bunt from White, both Vahalik and Hammer scored on a two-run single to right by Jeff Cola off Louisville junior closer Tony Zych (Monee, Ill./St. Rita HS). After moving to second on the throw home following his single, Cola then scored the final run of the game on an RBI single up the middle by Mark Lapikas for the 4-2 Toledo lead.
Rockets' closer Matt Zahel then pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save of the weekend. Reliever Adam Tyson earned the win for Toledo with his 1.0 inning of scoreless relief in the eighth to improve to 1-1 overall, while Zych took the loss for the Cardinals to fall to 0-1 on the season.
Louisville Notes
- Despite the loss, Louisville holds a 9-6 lead in the all-time series with Toledo.
- The Cardinals have lost their first two home games of the season for the first time since 1991.
- With Saturday's loss, Louisville is assured of its first three-game series loss at home since April 2009.
- Louisville starting pitchers have now allowed two earned runs or less in six straight contests dating back to last season.
- Junior second baseman Ryan Wright leads the Cardinals in hitting at .421 overall to go along with three runs scored and two RBI.
