Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics
Vrable’s Ravens Even Series with Touchdown Victory
October 22, 2019 | Baseball
The annual Pizza Bowl series wraps up Wednesday at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 14th annual Louisville baseball Pizza Bowl series will come down to the fifth and final game, as Vrable's Ravens turned in a 14-7 victory over Snider's Saints on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
The Ravens have rallied back after dropping games one and two of the series to force a decisive game five on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., ET.
Tuesday was about offense as the two teams combined for 21 runs on 23 hits.
Alex Binelas put the Saints on the board in the bottom of the first inning with an opposite field two-run home run, one of three on the day between the two sides.
The Ravens got a run back on a Chris Seng RBI infield single in the third and surged in front one inning later behind a two-run homer off the bat of Dalton Rushing.
Ben Bianco knotted the game up at three in the bottom half of the fourth with a run-scoring double, and the Saints edged back in front with three runs in the sixth including a two-run double for Binelas.
It was all Ravens from there though, as they plated 11 runs over the game's final three innings. Drew Wiegman plated three with a bases clearing double in the seventh, while Oriente and Rushing added RBI hits in the eighth. Zach Britton then had the final blow in the ninth, launching a long three-run home run to right.
Rushing and Henry Davis each had three hits on the afternoon, driving in three and two runs, respectively. Binelas, Britton, Seng, Lucas Dunn an Jared Poland all tallied two hits apiece.
Garrett Schmeltz turned in the best pitching outing on the day, allowing one run over three innings with seven strikeouts.
ABOUT THE PIZZA BOWL
Upon his hiring as Louisville head coach in the summer of 2006, Dan McDonnell immediately created an atmosphere of competition throughout the Cardinals baseball program. Whether it's through conditioning in the Omaha Challenge, or in preseason scrimmages, McDonnell creates competitive situations to give his players numerous opportunities to prepare for what they will see during conference and postseason games.
One of the most effective ways McDonnell and his coaching staff can provide the Louisville players with those competitive, game-like situations is through the annual Pizza Bowl series. Following approximately six weeks of fall practice sessions, the Cardinals take to the field for what started as a one-game scrimmage in the fall of 2006 and has become an ultra-competitive three-game or five-game intra-squad series. The winning team is rewarded by being served as much pizza as it would like by the losing squad, which in turn shares what is left. The Pizza Bowl series has become an exciting and highly anticipated ending to the fall for Louisville coaches, players and fans.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
The Ravens have rallied back after dropping games one and two of the series to force a decisive game five on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., ET.
Tuesday was about offense as the two teams combined for 21 runs on 23 hits.
Alex Binelas put the Saints on the board in the bottom of the first inning with an opposite field two-run home run, one of three on the day between the two sides.
The Ravens got a run back on a Chris Seng RBI infield single in the third and surged in front one inning later behind a two-run homer off the bat of Dalton Rushing.
Ben Bianco knotted the game up at three in the bottom half of the fourth with a run-scoring double, and the Saints edged back in front with three runs in the sixth including a two-run double for Binelas.
It was all Ravens from there though, as they plated 11 runs over the game's final three innings. Drew Wiegman plated three with a bases clearing double in the seventh, while Oriente and Rushing added RBI hits in the eighth. Zach Britton then had the final blow in the ninth, launching a long three-run home run to right.
Rushing and Henry Davis each had three hits on the afternoon, driving in three and two runs, respectively. Binelas, Britton, Seng, Lucas Dunn an Jared Poland all tallied two hits apiece.
Garrett Schmeltz turned in the best pitching outing on the day, allowing one run over three innings with seven strikeouts.
ABOUT THE PIZZA BOWL
Upon his hiring as Louisville head coach in the summer of 2006, Dan McDonnell immediately created an atmosphere of competition throughout the Cardinals baseball program. Whether it's through conditioning in the Omaha Challenge, or in preseason scrimmages, McDonnell creates competitive situations to give his players numerous opportunities to prepare for what they will see during conference and postseason games.
One of the most effective ways McDonnell and his coaching staff can provide the Louisville players with those competitive, game-like situations is through the annual Pizza Bowl series. Following approximately six weeks of fall practice sessions, the Cardinals take to the field for what started as a one-game scrimmage in the fall of 2006 and has become an ultra-competitive three-game or five-game intra-squad series. The winning team is rewarded by being served as much pizza as it would like by the losing squad, which in turn shares what is left. The Pizza Bowl series has become an exciting and highly anticipated ending to the fall for Louisville coaches, players and fans.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
Players Mentioned
C/1B
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
C/OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBSB: Dan McDonnell Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Tague Davis Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Alex Alicea Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Dan McDonnell Postgame vs. Michigan State (2-15-26)
Sunday, February 15
