By Benjamin Lampkin
On Student Appreciation night, the U of L baseball team gave those who stuck around until the final innings something to appreciate; a comeback win over the visiting Charlotte 49ers, 4-3. The win helped propel the Cards to a weekend series sweep of the 49ers and puts them in a tie for second place in Conference USA heading into the final week of April.
On Friday night, Cardinal pitcher Scott Barber gave up a solo blast to Charlotte second baseman George Sandel in the top of the first inning, giving the 49ers a quick 1-0 lead. Charlotte also picked up a run in the top of the third, and back-to-back doubles in the top of the fourth gave them a 3-0 lead.
The Cards were facing freshman pitcher Matt Landphair, who was making only his second collegiate start. However, Landphair held the Cardinal hitters in check all afternoon. The southpaw allowed only two hits and four walks through seven innings.
The Cards were able to get to Landphair in the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff walk to Curt Stewart ended Landphair’s evening, as he was replaced by lefthander Matt Johnson. A pass ball and a balk put Stewart on third base with one out, and a single by Williams cut the Niners’ lead to 3-1. A botched pickoff throw and another balk by Johnson put Williams at third, and with two outs, J.T. LaFountain ripped a double down the right field line, scoring Williams from third.
Mark Jurich was intentionally walked, and Morgan Bojorquez was walked after the pitching change brought in righthander Jacob Cheney. With the bases juiced, Josh Bolen stepped to the plate and dropped a single in front of the diving leftfielder, scoring two and giving U of L a 4-3 advantage. Mike Budak’s flyout to the wall in left mercifully ended the inning.
The ninth inning was started by closer Josh Ring, but it was finished by Grant Williams. With runners on first and second, Williams got Nalls to ground into a game ending 6-4-3 double play. Josh Bolen finished the evening 3 for 4 with two RBI, the game winners. Starter Scott Barber (2-3) got the win in eight solid innings.
An eight run explosion in the bottom of the seventh was more than enough for the Cardinals on Saturday, as they dropped Charlotte 11-3. The Niners again took an early lead, but the Cards were able to tie things at 3-3 in the fifth inning.
Mark Jurich led off the seventh with a single, and things would only get worse for the 49ers. Zachary Treadway entered and Morgan Bojorquez blasted a ground rule double to left, putting runners at second and third. A wild pitch scored Jurich for a 4-3 Cardinal lead, and an intentional walk to Carlos De la Osa put runners at the corners.
Third baseman Mike Budak promptly ripped a double down the left field line, scoring two. Mark Ferguson entered and gave up an RBI single to Ken Tirpack for an 8-3 Cardinal lead. With two outs in the seventh and five runs home, Adam Haley singled and LaFountain followed, doubling home a run before Jurich walked to load the bases. Charlotte’s Pat Gambale entered and Bojorquez popped one into no man’s land in shallow left center, clearing the bases for a three-run double to cap an eight-run inning.
Garrett Estabrook (2-1) gave up just one hit in two scoreless innings of work for the win. Carlos Fernandez hurled a perfect ninth, striking out one.
Bojorquez drove in a season high four runs, while LaFountain had his sixth three-hit game of the season, as the Cards notched 15 hits on the day.
