[Stardust]

University of Louisville baseball coach Dan McDonnell still would like to see his team get better at rallying from behind. Against rival Kentucky, the Cardinals’ formula of pouncing early seems to be working just fine.

U of L used a six-run third inning to take a seven-run lead and coasted to a 10-2 victory before a season-high crowd of 3,862 at Jim Patterson Stadium on Tuesday night. It’s the first time this season that UK, ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball, has lost twice to the same opponent.

The Wildcats (35-7) lost in much in the same fashion that they dropped their first meeting with the Cards 12-0 two weeks ago. In that game U of L scored three runs in the first inning and led 5-0 after three.

U of L, ranked No. 20 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, has outscored its opponents 69-9 in the first inning this season.

“We’re apparently the best first-inning team in the nation,” said third baseman Ty Young, who went 2 for 4. “Once we get those couple of runs in the first inning, we definitely chill out a little more, and we’re able to score some more runs and our pitchers throw strikes.”

About the time Young finished that sentence, a howling Matt Helms could be heard 20 feet away. Teammate Stewart Ijames sneaked up undetected while Helms was doing an interview and smacked him in the face with a shaving-cream pie.

Yes, it was just a “midweek game,” but the Cards (29-12) still felt good about sweeping UK for the first time since claiming the 1998 and ’99 meetings.

“I don’t want to make it more than it is, but I’ve always promised our fans I’m never going to downplay it,” McDonnell said. “If fans are out here in the rain, the largest crowd of the year, because it’s important to them. If it’s important to our fans, then it’s important to us.”

UK freshman left-hander Sam Mahar, making just his second start, found out just how fast the Cards can operate.

UK shortstop Matt Reida made nearly every play that came his way — except one tough chopper in the first inning. He didn’t cleanly field a ball hit by Nick Ratajczak and made no throw to first. Young singled to right and Ijames drew a walk to load the bases with two out, setting up Alex Chittenden’s only plate appearance in the game.http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2...t|Sports|s

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[RunItUpTheGut]

What there not telling you is that UK had their fifth best pitcher in their rotation throw against Lville both times.
Against a good starter for UK, it would have been a completely different game.

[Stardust]

^ Maybe the only reason he is the fifth best pitcher is because he gets bombed by Louisville!

[Spud6]

I'm with RIUTG, a top pitcher on the UK club. And this would have been a completely different ballgame.

[Strikeout King]

Does Gary Henderson want to lose to Louisville? Why would you throw your fifth best pitcher instead of your best pitcher against your rival school?

[Spud6]

^Good question. Does UK have a rough schedule coming up? Maybe

[WideRight05]

I wish we had been able to generate more offense, but there is no doubt that game would have been different had we played one of our better pitchers.

[Bob Seger]

Does Gary Henderson want to lose to Louisville? Why would you throw your fifth best pitcher instead of your best pitcher against your rival school?

Because you save you're best pitchers for weekend conference games that matter. The Louisville game doesn't mean a hill of beans, except maybe for bragging rights. Weekday games are for development of pitchers.

[Bob Seger]

What there not telling you is that UK had their fifth best pitcher in their rotation throw against Lville both times.
Against a good starter for UK, it would have been a completely different game.

It's apparent that many of you do not understand how pitching decisions are made at the college level. This is not high school any more. A midweek game in the big scheme of things means absolutely nothing in college. That's right , not even against an instate rival like Louisville.


Every team does this same thing. Louisville is not going to throw one of their aces in a weekday game with a conference series looming a couple of days away either. I guarantee that Louisville did not throw a conference starter in this game. You might staff a midweek game out to allow your pitchers to retain an edge, but you simply do not burn conference starters in midweek games.

[Bob Seger]

Does Gary Henderson want to lose to Louisville? Why would you throw your fifth best pitcher instead of your best pitcher against your rival school?

Come on now, you ought to know baseball better than to ask a question like that!!!

[Strikeout King]

losing to a rival school always leaves a sour taste in your mouth or at least it should, it always does me. I hadn't seen UK's schedule until just a few minutes ago and they have 2 big SEC Series coming up, this weekend against Vandy and Next Weekend Florida

[RunItUpTheGut]

Does Gary Henderson want to lose to Louisville? Why would you throw your fifth best pitcher instead of your best pitcher against your rival school?

Because the Lville game is meaningless for the most part.

Why thorw your ace or 2nd in rotation to a team thats not going to effect your conference status in any way form or fashion?

[RunItUpTheGut]

It's apparent that many of you do not understand how pitching decisions are made at the college level. This is not high school any more. A midweek game in the big scheme of things means absolutely nothing in college. That's right , not even against an instate rival like Louisville.


Every team does this same thing. Louisville is not going to throw one of their aces in a weekday game with a conference series looming a couple of days away either. I guarantee that Louisville did not throw a conference starter in this game. You might staff a midweek game out to allow your pitchers to retain an edge, but you simply do not burn conference starters in midweek games.

That's pretty much what i was getting at Bob.
I agree with you. I was just stating that UK didnt throw their best pitcher, or 2nd or 3rd best.
These games are meaningless and really should just be considered exhibitions.

[mr.charlie hustle]

You look to take the Conference Game/Series or in a few weeks you look to take it to the house.Must go with what counts.Pride may just get you a TV and easy chair.