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May 20, 2008

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Sophomore Matt Lea improved his record to 5-0 and John Dao, Justin McClanahan and Chris Dominguez combined to go 9 for 14 with five RBI and eight runs at the plate for fourth-seeded University of Louisville in a 12-3 win over number five seed Seton Hall in the opening game of the 2008 BIG EAST Championship Tuesday at Bright House Field.

Louisville will face eighth-seeded Villanova, a 12-0 upset winner over regular season champion St. John's in a game that was ended via the ten-run rule after seven innings.

Following a two-hour and two-minute rain delay, the Cardinals (38-19) jumped on top of their game against the Pirates (30-24) with three in the first and three more in the second.

Josh Richmond singled and a McClanahan single on a hit and run put runners at the corners with one out for Dominguez, whose RBI fielder's choice made it 1-0 Cards.

Stewart Ijames doubled down the right field line, plating another run, and after Arnold was hit by a pitch and Andrew Clark hit an infield single to load the bases, Derrick Alfonso was also plunked to push across the third run of the frame.

Drew Haynes singled leading off the second and Dao's bunt single put two on, and a wild pitch set up Richmond's RBI groundout. McClanahan then doubled in a run and Dominguez single home another for a 6-0 UofL advantage.

SHU loaded the bases with one out for cleanup batter Greg Miller on two HBP's and a single, but Lea induced a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play that snuffed the rally.

The Pirates got on the board in the sixth on a one-out solo home run by Chris Affinito. Lea loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, giving way to Gavin Logsdon, who got pinch hitter Edward Brown to ground out to second to end the inning.

Dao responded in the bottom of the sixth with two down when he drilled his third home run of the season into the bullpen in left for an 8-1 Cardinal lead.

The Cardinals struck for two more in the seventh, when Dominguez was hit by a pitch and when Ijames single was mishandled by Miller in right, both moved into scoring position for Arnold who smoked a double to the wall in left center, making it 10-1.

An RBI single by Mark Pappas and a sac fly by Chris Spagnuolo cut the lead to 10-3, but two more in the bottom of the eighth sealed it.

Dao blooped a one-out double to right, Richmond walked and McClanahan doubled off the top of the wall in right center. Dominguez plated the final run of the game on an RBI groundout.

Lea worked a season-long 5.2 innings, allowing a run on five hits and two walks, striking out a pair.

Logsdon retired all four batters he faced, and James Belanger tossed the final two innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three.

SHU starter Corey Young, a first-team All-BIG EAST selection, was touched for seven runs on 11 hits, striking out one in five innings, dropping his record to 8-4. Chris McGlynn gave up five runs on five hits and two walks over the final three innings.

McClanahan, who was 3 for 5 with his 22nd and 23rd double, moves into a tie for third on the single season doubles list. Dominguez's three RBI moves him to within one of the ninth spot in Cardinal history with 68 on the season.

Logsdon took the hill for the 70th time in his career, tying him for ninth on the career list.

The Cardinals are 3-0 in the opening game of the BIG EAST Championship with the win, and won each of their first two trips to the second round in 2006 and 2007.