LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The University of Louisville won its regional the hard way — and the Cards will have to do it that way again to advance to the College World Series.
The Cards lost, 5-4, at Texas A&M Friday night at Blue Bell Park in College Station. Troy Claunch lined a first pitch fastball from U of L reliever Michael Prosecky into right field to drive in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
A&M loaded the bases for the fifth time in nine innings — this time on a walk, single and hit batter. The hit ended a game that lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes in front of a crowd of 6,732 at Blue Bell Park.
In a best-of-three series, Louisville must win Saturday and Sunday to win the Super Regional. Game Two is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach 102 degrees.
The Aggies scored first, pushing to a 1-0 lead in the first on a double, two walks and a hit batter, forcing Jared Poland to throw 36 pitches, 19 out of the strike zone.
But the Cards responded with gusto in the second. Logan Beard singled home Cameron Masterman and Jack Payton. Louisville extended its lead to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by Ben Bianco.
After the shaky first, Poland regrouped, allowing one run and four hits over the next 3 2/3 innings.
In the fifth, Louisville knocked A&M starter Nathan Dettmer out of the game. Christian Knapczyk reached on an error by second baseman Ryan Targac. Ben Metzinger doubled into the left field corner to score him.
A&M was poised to tie the game in the sixth. The Aggies loaded the bases with one out — and had their fourth- and fifth-place hitters up. But Cards’ lefty Tate Kuehner struck out clean-up hitter Austin Bost and Targac. It was the third time in six innings that Texas A&M left the bases loaded.
The Aggies were not as inefficient in the seventh. Jordan Thompson, A&M’s eighth-place hitter, delivered a 2-run home run on a 1-2 fastball off Kuehner.
Louisville center fielder Levi Usher raced back to the 8-foot wall and leaped to pull the ball back into play but it appeared to carry less than a foot beyond his outstretched glove.
U of L coach Dan McDonnell used six pitchers who threw 225 pitches, but only 125 strikes. That translated into 10 walks and four hit batters. A&M left 17 runners on base.
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
