University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Rallies To Defeat Louisville, Avoids Elimination
June 01, 2008 | General
ATHENS, Ga. The number one seed Georgia Bulldogs used a seven-run seventh to overcome a three-run deficit and post a 9-8 victory over the Louisville Cardinals in an elimination game at the Athens Regional in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships on Saturday.
“I thought that we did a great job today hanging in there until the ninth inning,” Georgia head coach David Perno said. “Gordon Beckham’s homerun was huge and really got us going.”
Georgia (36-22-1) advances in the Athens Regional and will face the loser of game four between second seed Georgia Tech and fourth seed Lipscomb on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The winner of the game between Georgia and the opponent yet to be determined will play for the right to advance to the championship round of the regional against the winner of game four. With the loss on Saturday, Louisville concludes its season with a record of 41-21.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision in the third game of the Athens Regional as Georgia’s Trevor Holder went four innings allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits, while Louisville’s Bob Revesz tossed 4.2 innings allowing two runs on six hits. Georgia sophomore Dean Weaver (5-1) notched the win after allowing just one run on two hits in relief of Holder, and Louisville’s B.J. Rosenberg (5-5) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 1.1 innings.
Louisville carried a 5-2 lead into the seventh inning, but after a pair of singles put two runners on Georgia’s Gordon Beckham (2-for-4, run, 3 RBI) connected for a three-run home run that tied the game at 5-5. The Bulldogs seventh inning rally continued as they went on to score a total seven runs on eight hits and one Cardinal error to take a 9-5 lead.
Several Bulldogs contributed to producing Georgia’s nine runs, which came on 18 hits led by seniors, and respective one and two spot hitters, Ryan Peisel and Matt Olson. Peisel went 4-for-6 with two runs and an RBI, while Olson went 4-for-5 with a run. Georgia’s final fun of the seventh-inning, which proved to be the game-winning run, came on a RBI single from Peisel.
Louisville’s eight runs came on nine hits including three runs that came via two home runs in the bottom of the ninth that made it a one-run game. Freshman Stewart Ijames paced the Cardinals’ offensive by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI including a two-run home run in the ninth. Ijames’ ninth-inning home run was followed by a solo shot from senior Derrick Alfonso that gave the game its final margin.
Georgia, playing as the visiting team, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Peisel, Olson and Beckham, the first three Bulldogs to come to the plate, all singled to load the bases. Sophomore Rich Poythress (2-for-4) pushed across the run with a sacrifice fly to center, but Louisville then turned a double play to end the inning.
In the second, Louisville also loaded the bases with no outs on three singles from Ijames and sophomores Jeff Arnold and Andrew Clark. In a similar manner, the Cardinals only came away with one run when Ijames scored on a double play turned by the Bulldogs. A groundout then ended the inning leaving the game tied 1-1.
The Cardinals took a 3-1 lead in the third inning. Junior John Dao (2-for-5) singled, stole second and scored on a single through the left side of the infield from freshman Josh Richmond. Ijames capped the scoring in the inning when he doubled to right driving in another run.
Georgia pulled to within one in the top of the fourth at 3-2. Junior Bryce Massanari drew a one out walk, moved around to third on a single to center from sophomore Matt Cerione (2-for-5) and scored on a groundout from sophomore Joey Lewis. In the bottom of the fourth, Louisville got that run back to go up 4-2. Freshman Phil Wunderlich (1-for-4, 2 runs) reached on a fielding error by Georgia’s Beckham at shortstop, was sacrificed to second on a bunt from freshman Drew Haynes and scored on a single to left from Dao.
In the sixth, Louisville’s advantage was stretched to 5-2 on a solo home run to left from Wunderlich.
That lead was then erased as Georgia produced its seven-run seventh. After Peisel and Olson singled to start the inning, Beckham provided his three-run, opposite field home run to tie it at 5-5. Poythress followed Beckham’s home run with a double, and two batters later, freshman Cerione recorded a single on a comeback shot that went off of Louisville relief pitcher B.J. Rosenberg. On the play, Rosenberg found the ball after it deflected off of him, but he committed a throwing error after picking it up allowing Poythress to score. Redshirt freshman Robbie O’Brien followed by driving in a run on his first career triple, and freshman Lyle Allen added an RBI single to right in the next at-bat. After Allen stole second and a groundout advance him to third, Peisel record an RBI on an infield single to third.
In the ninth, Louisville added three runs to give the game its final one-run margin. With senior Justin McClanahan aboard after doubling, Ijames provided a two-run home run to right center. Senior Derrick Alfonso followed with a home run of his own that made it a 9-8 contest, but Georgia senior relief pitcher Joshua Fields, who entered to start the inning, got Clark to groundout to end the game.
POST GAME NOTES:
Georgia
Junior Gordon Beckham’s three-run home run that tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh was his 24th of the season, which set a new Georgia record for home runs in a single season
Georgia’s seven-run seventh was the most runs the Bulldogs have scored in a single inning this season, a feat in which they achieved four previous times on the year (3/25 vs. Kennesaw State, 2nd inn.; 3/18 vs. Western Carolina, 4th inn.; 3/15 at Arkansas, 7th inn.; 3/1 vs. Oregon State in Portland, 1st inn.)
Louisville
Louisville record back-to-back home runs for the second straight game when freshman Stewart Ijames and senior Derrick Alfonso went back-to-back in the bottom of the ninth. In game two of the Athens Regional, senior Justin McClanahan and redshirt sophomore Chris Dominguez hit back-to-back home runs for the Cardinals in the sixth inning. Prior to Regional play, the last time Louisville had hit back-to-back home runs came when they hit back-to-back-to-back home runs against Ohio State April 16, 2008. The three straight home runs against Ohio State came from McClanahan, Dominguez and sophomore Andrew Clark
“I thought that we did a great job today hanging in there until the ninth inning,” Georgia head coach David Perno said. “Gordon Beckham’s homerun was huge and really got us going.”
Georgia (36-22-1) advances in the Athens Regional and will face the loser of game four between second seed Georgia Tech and fourth seed Lipscomb on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The winner of the game between Georgia and the opponent yet to be determined will play for the right to advance to the championship round of the regional against the winner of game four. With the loss on Saturday, Louisville concludes its season with a record of 41-21.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision in the third game of the Athens Regional as Georgia’s Trevor Holder went four innings allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits, while Louisville’s Bob Revesz tossed 4.2 innings allowing two runs on six hits. Georgia sophomore Dean Weaver (5-1) notched the win after allowing just one run on two hits in relief of Holder, and Louisville’s B.J. Rosenberg (5-5) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 1.1 innings.
Louisville carried a 5-2 lead into the seventh inning, but after a pair of singles put two runners on Georgia’s Gordon Beckham (2-for-4, run, 3 RBI) connected for a three-run home run that tied the game at 5-5. The Bulldogs seventh inning rally continued as they went on to score a total seven runs on eight hits and one Cardinal error to take a 9-5 lead.
Several Bulldogs contributed to producing Georgia’s nine runs, which came on 18 hits led by seniors, and respective one and two spot hitters, Ryan Peisel and Matt Olson. Peisel went 4-for-6 with two runs and an RBI, while Olson went 4-for-5 with a run. Georgia’s final fun of the seventh-inning, which proved to be the game-winning run, came on a RBI single from Peisel.
Louisville’s eight runs came on nine hits including three runs that came via two home runs in the bottom of the ninth that made it a one-run game. Freshman Stewart Ijames paced the Cardinals’ offensive by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI including a two-run home run in the ninth. Ijames’ ninth-inning home run was followed by a solo shot from senior Derrick Alfonso that gave the game its final margin.
Georgia, playing as the visiting team, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Peisel, Olson and Beckham, the first three Bulldogs to come to the plate, all singled to load the bases. Sophomore Rich Poythress (2-for-4) pushed across the run with a sacrifice fly to center, but Louisville then turned a double play to end the inning.
In the second, Louisville also loaded the bases with no outs on three singles from Ijames and sophomores Jeff Arnold and Andrew Clark. In a similar manner, the Cardinals only came away with one run when Ijames scored on a double play turned by the Bulldogs. A groundout then ended the inning leaving the game tied 1-1.
The Cardinals took a 3-1 lead in the third inning. Junior John Dao (2-for-5) singled, stole second and scored on a single through the left side of the infield from freshman Josh Richmond. Ijames capped the scoring in the inning when he doubled to right driving in another run.
Georgia pulled to within one in the top of the fourth at 3-2. Junior Bryce Massanari drew a one out walk, moved around to third on a single to center from sophomore Matt Cerione (2-for-5) and scored on a groundout from sophomore Joey Lewis. In the bottom of the fourth, Louisville got that run back to go up 4-2. Freshman Phil Wunderlich (1-for-4, 2 runs) reached on a fielding error by Georgia’s Beckham at shortstop, was sacrificed to second on a bunt from freshman Drew Haynes and scored on a single to left from Dao.
In the sixth, Louisville’s advantage was stretched to 5-2 on a solo home run to left from Wunderlich.
That lead was then erased as Georgia produced its seven-run seventh. After Peisel and Olson singled to start the inning, Beckham provided his three-run, opposite field home run to tie it at 5-5. Poythress followed Beckham’s home run with a double, and two batters later, freshman Cerione recorded a single on a comeback shot that went off of Louisville relief pitcher B.J. Rosenberg. On the play, Rosenberg found the ball after it deflected off of him, but he committed a throwing error after picking it up allowing Poythress to score. Redshirt freshman Robbie O’Brien followed by driving in a run on his first career triple, and freshman Lyle Allen added an RBI single to right in the next at-bat. After Allen stole second and a groundout advance him to third, Peisel record an RBI on an infield single to third.
In the ninth, Louisville added three runs to give the game its final one-run margin. With senior Justin McClanahan aboard after doubling, Ijames provided a two-run home run to right center. Senior Derrick Alfonso followed with a home run of his own that made it a 9-8 contest, but Georgia senior relief pitcher Joshua Fields, who entered to start the inning, got Clark to groundout to end the game.
POST GAME NOTES:
Georgia
Junior Gordon Beckham’s three-run home run that tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh was his 24th of the season, which set a new Georgia record for home runs in a single season
Georgia’s seven-run seventh was the most runs the Bulldogs have scored in a single inning this season, a feat in which they achieved four previous times on the year (3/25 vs. Kennesaw State, 2nd inn.; 3/18 vs. Western Carolina, 4th inn.; 3/15 at Arkansas, 7th inn.; 3/1 vs. Oregon State in Portland, 1st inn.)
Louisville
Louisville record back-to-back home runs for the second straight game when freshman Stewart Ijames and senior Derrick Alfonso went back-to-back in the bottom of the ninth. In game two of the Athens Regional, senior Justin McClanahan and redshirt sophomore Chris Dominguez hit back-to-back home runs for the Cardinals in the sixth inning. Prior to Regional play, the last time Louisville had hit back-to-back home runs came when they hit back-to-back-to-back home runs against Ohio State April 16, 2008. The three straight home runs against Ohio State came from McClanahan, Dominguez and sophomore Andrew Clark
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