Hanselman finished with four RBI, including a three-run home run. |
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Louisville Upends 49ers on Ninth-Inning Wild Pitch
May 6, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - Louisville scored its final run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning, taking a 9-8 decision over Charlotte in the opener of the three-game Conference USA series at Tom & Lib Phillips Field on Friday night.
With the score knotted at eight apiece in the top of the ninth, Louisville (25-18, 11-10 C-USA) put the first two batters aboard against reliever Keith Moreland. J.T. LaFountain walked, and Jorge Castillo followed with a single that moved him around to third base.
With two men on and no outs, closer Erik Walker came on to try to get out of the inning and get the Niners to the plate. But his first pitch sailed over the head of right-handed hitter Isaiah Howes and went all the way to the backstop, allowing LaFountain to score from third for a 9-8 Cardinal lead.
Walker would get out of a two-out, bases loaded jam by getting a ground out to third base.
Charlotte (25-20, 8-14 C-USA) got the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the ninth when senior Adam Willard finally broke through with a single up the middle. The team's batting leader had been 0-4 on the night previously. Kris Rochelle then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Willard to second. That brought up Spencer Steedley, who laced a shot down the first base line only to see Curt Stewart, a defensive substitution, make a diving grab for the second out.
Willard, who took off for third, was nearly doubled off at second but Stewart's throw pulled Nick Haley off the bag to keep the 49er hopes alive. However, Garrett Hanselman, who had a game-high four RBI, would strike out swinging as Brian Halford earned his sixth save of the season for the Cardinals. Griffin Bailey improved to 4-1 on the season with two innings of relief for Louisville.
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The loss drops Charlotte to 3 1/2 games back of Louisville in the race for the final two spots in the eight-team Conference USA Tournament. Houston currently sits in the eighth position, one spot back of the Cardinals.
Louisville took an early 1-0 lead on a RBI single by Howes, and would lead 5-0 after their second turn at bat featured a leadoff home run Greg Taylor and a bases-clearing triple by Howes. The Cardinals had the bases loaded on five occasions in the game, leaving them full in the first, fourth, sixth, and ninth innings. They stranded a season-high 18 runners in the contest.
Hanselman's fourth home run of the season gave the 49ers their first lead of the day in the bottom of the third. The three-run shot reversed a 6-3 deficit and put Charlotte ahead by one.
Louisville would tie the contest at 7-7 in the top of the fifth on a RBI single by LaFountain, and would eventually lead 8-7 in the seventh after an unearned run on a dropped throw at first base.
Charlotte came back to tie the contest 8-8 in the bottom of the eighth, when Chris Lane doubled to left field, advanced on a fly out to center and scored on a single by Mike Ambrose.
Rochelle and Steedley had doubles, as the 49ers collected extra bases on four of their 13 hits. Ambrose, Steedley and Alex Bryant each collected a RBI in the game. Howes had four RBI for the Cardinals, while Taylor drove in a pair.
These two teams will meet again on Saturday (2:00) and Sunday (12:00). Admission is $5 for adults, while UNC Charlotte students with valid ID and youth (17 & under) are admitted free. In celebration of Mother's Day, all moms are admitted free on Sunday and the first 100 through the gate will receive a flower courtesy of the 49er Athletic Department.
