By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
April 14, 2002
HATTIESBURG For seven innings, University of Louisville pitcher Mike Tisdale had a near perfect game going on Saturday afternoon.
Following a first inning single by Southern Mississippi's Allen Winningham, Tisdale retired the next 18 Golden Eagle batters.
The Golden Eagles would get four hits in their final three at bats, including a solo home run by Brad Willcut, but it wasn't enough to derail Tisdale's train. He finished with a 3-1 complete game victory for Louisville and in the process knocked USM out of sole-possession of first place in Conference USA.
The loss drops USM to 10-4 in C-USA play and into a tie with Texas Christian who won 11-1 on Sunday. Houston could join the pair with a win late Saturday night. Louisville climbs back to within a game of first at 9-5.
USM, who beat Louisville 7-2 on Friday, will try and win the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. here at Pete Taylor Park. The Golden Eagles are now 24-12 overall while Louisville is 20-10.
Tisdale credited a hard-rotating forkball along with a solid curve ball in baffling the Golden Eagle batters.
Winningham, who had come in as USM's hottest hitter, said the Golden Eagles did not make the right adjustments against Tisdale.
Tisdale also benefited from some great play by his outfield. Left-fielder Josh Bolen made a major league grab at the wall to take away a solo home run from Clint Stoy in the second inning.
Several other USM-hit balls reached the track, but centerfielder Dave Williams, Jr., ran them down. The Cardinals made 10 fly-ball plays.
USM starter Bob McCrory, the team's best in terms of earned run average, struggled. The Cardinals had a runners on in each of their first four at bats.
A double by Mark Jurich set up the go-ahead run. An error on a high throw from third allowed Jurich to score for a 1-0 lead in the Louisville third.
In the Cardinal fourth, Adam Haley singled and J.T. Fountain was hit-by-pitch. Jurich then belted a double down the right-field line scoring Haley and Fountain for a 3-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the ninth. The Golden Eagles did manage two hits in eighth, but Carlos Velasquez's drive into left-center was caught by Williams, Jr. for the third out.
In the ninth, Willcut ripped his solo shot with two out. Tisdale came back to fan Griff Israel to end the game.
Tisdale struck out six and walked none. McCrory gave up seven hits, walked four and hit two. The loss drops him to 4-2 on the year.
USM head coach Corky Palmer gave credit to Tisdale.
Jurich's two doubles and two RBI led Louisville. Haley finished 3-for-5. There were no multiple hitters for USM.