TicketsMay 19, 2007
CINCINNATI, Ohio---For Cincinnati to qualify for the 2007 BIG EAST Championship, the Bearcats needed to win Saturday's season finale or count on two other teams to lose. Unfortunately for UC, only one part of the equation came to fruition as the Bearcats' season ended with a 7-3 defeat to Louisville at Marge Schott Stadium. A frustrating season for the Bearcats ends at 28-28 overall and a tie for ninth in the BIG EAST at 10-16.
Cincinnati would have benefited from Georgetown's 10-1 win over West Virginia, but a ninth inning rally by Connecticut gave the Huskies a 7-6 win over Notre Dame and the eighth and final spot in the tournament.
Back in Cincinnati, Louisville (38-18, 19-8 BIG EAST) scored three times in the sixth to snap a one all tie and go on for the victory. Chris Dominguez hit a pair of home runs to lead the Cardinal offense, while Logan Johnson ripped his second of the series with a man on.
On Senior Day, Neall French closed his career with a bang, hitting his 11th homer of the year. Tony Campana tacked on two hits for the Bearcats.
Louisville went in front first as Dominguez took UC starter John Baird (2-4) deep off the scoreboard in right center. The Bearcats came back to even the score in the last of the fifth as pinch-hitter Kyle Rapp plated a run with an RBI groundout.
The Cardinals took the advantage in the top of the sixth, hanging a three spot on the Bearcats to go in front for good. A Daniel Burton single and UC throwing error plated two and two batters later Jorge Castillo grounded out but gained an RBI to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
UC cut its deficit to 4-2 in the seventh when Adam Yeager singled to left, scoring Campana who had singled and stole second. Johnson put the Cardinals up four in the top of the eighth with a two-run blast that ended the outing for Baird. UC scored once in the eighth on French's lead off homer and Dominguez followed suit for U of L in the top of the ninth, blasting a ball to deep center.
Baird pitched better than his numbers showed, allowing six runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings. The junior walked just one and struck out four. Skylar Meade (8-2) picked up the win for Louisville, pitching two innings of relief.