TCU Hangs on for Win over Louisville
5/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 27, 2004
HOUSTON - With the score dead-locked at 3-3, Austin Adams lead off the sixth inning with his second homer of the game - solo home run - over the left field fence to break the tie, and behind the strong pitching of Eugene Espineli and Robbie Findlay, No. 4 seed TCU held on for the 4-3 win over No. 8-seed Louisville on Thursday (May 27) afternoon in Game Six of the 2004 Conference USA Baseball Tournament, presented by Sterling Bank, at Cougar Field. TCU improves to 34-24 overall on the year, while Louisville drops to 26-30.
With the win, TCU keeps its tournament hopes alive, while Louisville is eliminated.
TCU jumped out to a quick lead with three runs in the first inning. With two outs, Chad Huffman doubled to left and came around to score the game's first run on a single by Bo Cogbill. Adams then followed with his first home run of the afternoon, a two-run blast to left.
The Cardinals pulled to within two with a run in the second when Boomer Whiting knocked Daniel Burton home on a sacrifice fly.
Louisville then tied the game in the third. After Chris Cates lead off with a single to right center and Nick Haley grounded to short to advance Cates to second, Ron Braun belted a two-run blast.
TCU starter Eugene Espineli allowed the three runs on eight hits in 7.1 innings to earn the victory to improve to 8-4 on the year. Robbie Findlay relieved Espineli in the eighth and hurled scoreless ball to notch his tenth save of the season.
Louisville starter Mike Tisdale suffered his sixth loss of the year to fall to 3-6 after surrendering three runs on three Horned Frogs hits in only one inning of work.
TCU will face the winner of the Houston-ECU game, slated for tonight, on Friday at 6:30 p.m.