TicketsApril 28, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Freshman Steve Blevins hurled his first career shutout to lead Cincinnati to a 2-0 win over Louisville in the opening game of a BIG EAST series on Friday night at John Patterson Stadium. The victory, Blevins' eighth, gives the Louisa, Ky. native the UC record for most wins by a freshman hurler.
The triumph was an important one for the Bearcats, who entered the weekend deadlocked with the Cardinals for fourth place in the BIG EAST standings. Cincinnati improves to 26-15 overall and 9-7 in league play. Louisville is 17-25, 8-8 BIG EAST.
Blevins controlled the Cardinals, allowing just five hits and three walks in extending his scoreless innings streak to 12.2. He also struck out four in improving to 8-3 on the season.
Cincinnati got all the offense it would need with single runs in the first and third innings. In the opening frame, LaFringe Hayes drove a lead-off single through the right side, but was still standing on second two outs later. Jack Nelson came through big, ripping a double to left center to score Hayes all the way from first. UC tacked on the second and final run of the night when Logan Parker charged home on a wild pitch.
On the hill, Blevins avoided serious trouble in nearly every inning. After walking Tyler Christensen to start the third, Blevins mowed down nine straight hitters through the end of the fifth. In the sixth, Chris Cates led off with his second double of the game and one out later, Logan Johnson drew a walk. After Blevins got Alec Lowery to strike out, Derrick Alfonso reached on a UC fielding error to load the bases. With a chance to even the score, Pete Rodriguez chased Blevins' first pitch, grounding into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
Nelson and Nick Maragas paced the Cincinnati attack with two hits each. UC tallied all seven of its hits in the first four innings, drawing only a sixth inning lead-off walk in the last five frames.
B.J. Rosenberg (5-5) was the hard luck loser for Louisville, after allowing just two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. Cates finished with a pair of doubles to pace the U of L offense.
The schedule for the balance of the weekend has been altered as the Bearcats and Cardinals will now meet in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. The change has been made due to a rainy weather forecast for Sunday.