I can't believe they played today. The weather hasn't been kind to the baseball team. But they played, and won, and Coach thinks they've a long way to go still.
CJ story linked, and pasted below.
The University of Louisville's baseball team isn't in mid-season form, but the No. 8-ranked Cardinals are starting to move into the right direction, evidenced by a 5-3 win over Ole Miss on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
"I keep reminding my kids - we're good but not great yet," said U of L coach Dan McDonnell. "We can get better."
The Cards (11-5), winners in six of their last seven, grabbed an early lead and got hitless bullpen work from relievers Robert Strader and Brendan McKay.
"We've got to play better defense," McDonnell said. "We're starting to run the bases a little better. We're hopefully going in the right direction, and that's all we can do. I don't fault the kids because these kids play hard."
U of L jumped ahead with single runs in the second and third innings.
In the second inning, the Cards' Devin Hairston grounded out to short, scoring Will Smith from third base. Then Nick Solak was hit by a pitch in the third inning, stole second and scored on a single by Corey Ray, giving the Cards a 2-0 lead.
"First of all, I have to credit my teammates for getting on base," Hairston said. "I was just thinking get the ball in play with two outs. Just put the ball in play and let the game figure it out."
The Rebels sliced into the lead in the fourth inning as the second baseman Hairston watched a grounder go between his legs. One batter late, Errol Robinson delivered a run-scoring single.
Hairston, though, came back and came through with a run-scoring single to left field, scoring Ryan Summers, who had tripled into the right field corner.
"He's showing that he's mature," McDonnell said of Hairston. "You can't feel sorry for yourself and mope, if something bad happens."
Hairston said the Cards are starting to turn the corner.
"We're definitely not where we want to be," he said. "We're better than we've been playing."
Ole Miss (8-7) added runs in the fifth (a home run by Cameron Dishon) and the seventh (a bases loaded walk to Colby Bortles), and the Rebels only trailed 4-3 after seven innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Blake Tiberi stepped to the plate for the Cards and delivered a home run to right field off the foul pole. Tiberi said it was his first-ever pinch-hit homer.
Tiberi now has three homers in 27 at bats.
"Even if he doesn't start, my goal is to get Blake (Tiberi) at least one at bat," McDonnell said. "He's too good of a hitter. . . That was huge insurance run."
The Cards and Rebels will conclude their two-game series at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
"These guys aren't going to quit," said McDonnell, a former coach at Ole Miss. "They will show up tomorrow. They're really good. They run out some talented arms."
Mississippi 000 110 100 - 3 5 1
Louisville 011 110 010 - 5 11 3
WP - Lincoln Henzman (2-0(. LP - Evan Anderson (1-2). S - Brendan McKay (4). 3B - Ryan Summers (L). HR - Cameron Dishon (M), Blake Tiberi (L). Records - Mississippi 8-7, Louisville 11-5.
CJ story on the game ....
CJ story linked, and pasted below.
The University of Louisville's baseball team isn't in mid-season form, but the No. 8-ranked Cardinals are starting to move into the right direction, evidenced by a 5-3 win over Ole Miss on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
"I keep reminding my kids - we're good but not great yet," said U of L coach Dan McDonnell. "We can get better."
The Cards (11-5), winners in six of their last seven, grabbed an early lead and got hitless bullpen work from relievers Robert Strader and Brendan McKay.
"We've got to play better defense," McDonnell said. "We're starting to run the bases a little better. We're hopefully going in the right direction, and that's all we can do. I don't fault the kids because these kids play hard."
U of L jumped ahead with single runs in the second and third innings.
In the second inning, the Cards' Devin Hairston grounded out to short, scoring Will Smith from third base. Then Nick Solak was hit by a pitch in the third inning, stole second and scored on a single by Corey Ray, giving the Cards a 2-0 lead.
"First of all, I have to credit my teammates for getting on base," Hairston said. "I was just thinking get the ball in play with two outs. Just put the ball in play and let the game figure it out."
The Rebels sliced into the lead in the fourth inning as the second baseman Hairston watched a grounder go between his legs. One batter late, Errol Robinson delivered a run-scoring single.
Hairston, though, came back and came through with a run-scoring single to left field, scoring Ryan Summers, who had tripled into the right field corner.
"He's showing that he's mature," McDonnell said of Hairston. "You can't feel sorry for yourself and mope, if something bad happens."
Hairston said the Cards are starting to turn the corner.
"We're definitely not where we want to be," he said. "We're better than we've been playing."
Ole Miss (8-7) added runs in the fifth (a home run by Cameron Dishon) and the seventh (a bases loaded walk to Colby Bortles), and the Rebels only trailed 4-3 after seven innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Blake Tiberi stepped to the plate for the Cards and delivered a home run to right field off the foul pole. Tiberi said it was his first-ever pinch-hit homer.
Tiberi now has three homers in 27 at bats.
"Even if he doesn't start, my goal is to get Blake (Tiberi) at least one at bat," McDonnell said. "He's too good of a hitter. . . That was huge insurance run."
The Cards and Rebels will conclude their two-game series at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
"These guys aren't going to quit," said McDonnell, a former coach at Ole Miss. "They will show up tomorrow. They're really good. They run out some talented arms."
Mississippi 000 110 100 - 3 5 1
Louisville 011 110 010 - 5 11 3
WP - Lincoln Henzman (2-0(. LP - Evan Anderson (1-2). S - Brendan McKay (4). 3B - Ryan Summers (L). HR - Cameron Dishon (M), Blake Tiberi (L). Records - Mississippi 8-7, Louisville 11-5.
CJ story on the game ....
