Harrington, Tiberi Lead No. 7 Louisville Past USF

Saturday, February 14

Clearwater, Fla.

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

2-0

USF

1-1

Louisville

USF

February 14, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 14, 2015

Drew Harrington struck out seven straight batters en route to his fourth career win.

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

CardsTV Postgame Interviews: Dan McDonnell | Drew Harrington

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Sophomore lefthander Drew Harrington had a career-best nine strikeouts out of the bullpen and freshman designated hitter Blake Tiberi delivered a two-run homer in the No. 7 Louisville baseball team's 7-3 victory over USF on Saturday night at Bright House Field.

Harrington (Elizabethtown, Ky.) struck out seven straight batters during one stretch to clinch his fourth career win as the Cardinals improved to 2-0 at the Opening Weekend Challenge. Overall, Harrington worked a career-best 4.1 innings of relief allowing just one unearned run on two hits while the nine strikeouts were three better than his previous high of six against Houston last May.

At the plate, Tiberi (Taylor Mill, Ky.) connected on a 2-1 offering in the fourth inning sending it over the wall in right center to highlight a 2-for-4 night, which also included a single and two runs scored. Making his first career start, freshman catcher Colby Fitch (Rocheport, Mo.) was 2-for-4 with a RBI triple and scored once, while sophomore infielder Nick Solak (Woodridge, Ill.) chipped in going 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Senior infielder Zach Lucas (Louisville, Ky.) and junior first baseman Danny Rosenbaum (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) also drove in runs for Louisville.

The Bulls (1-1) struck first on Saturday when catcher Levi Borders sent a 1-2 offering from Louisville junior righty Anthony Kidston (Defiance, Ohio) over the left field wall for a two-run homer in the first inning. However, the lead was short-lived for the home side.

After the Cardinals cut the deficit in half with an unearned run in the second inning, they gained for command for good with a four-run third inning against USF righty starter Casey Mulholland. The scoring started with a RBI single up the middle by Lucas to score sophomore outfielder Corey Ray (Chicago, Ill.) before Rosenbaum pushed Louisville in front at 3-2 with a RBI groundout to second. Fitch then added an RBI triple to score Tiberi before scoring himself on a wild pitch.

An inning later, Solak started the fourth with a double off the wall in left field before scoring on the two-run homer by Tiberi against USF righty reliever Cody Hernandez. The Bulls added a final unearned run in the sixth inning.

Mulholland was charged with the loss for the USF after allowing five runs, including four earned, on seven hits and two walks in three innings. Kidston finished with a no-decision after allowing two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and five walks in 4.2 innings.

Louisville closes the Opening Weekend Challenge at Bright House Field on Sunday at 11 a.m., ET against No. 17 Cal State Fullerton.

Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.

Louisville Postgame Notes
• The Cardinals have won 17 of their last 23 games against USF.

• Louisville moved to 23-12 all-time at Bright House Field since its first visit to the ballpark in 2006.

• Dating back to May 2012, the Cardinals have won 100 straight games when entering the ninth inning with a lead.

• Louisville has won 57 straight games (dating back to 2013) when scoring five or more runs.

• Three times during his freshman season, Drew Harrington pitched four innings but never had he pitched beyond that.

• Overall, Harrington delivered 70 pitches with 45 of those being strikes.

• Zach Lucas has hit safely in five straight games dating back to last season.

• Reaching base just once with a walk, Sutton Whiting did add his third stolen base of the season and the 67th of his career.

• After a trio of Cardinals made their collegiate debuts on Friday, two more saw action on Saturday as freshman Colby Fitch earned the start at catcher and Brendan McKay reached base with a pinch hit single in the ninth.