Big East: Pitching Nowhere to be Found

By Grant Tunkel - May 25, 2007

The name of the game for today's Rutgers/Louisville contest will not be pitching after a 35-minute, 64-pitch first inning.

It was a rough start to the game for Louisville. Starter Colby Wark could not find the strike zone - he only gave up 1 hit, but he walked 4 batters and threw a ball away on a pickoff attempt to first, and allowed 2 runs. It could've been worse for the Cardinals, but Wark was able to get 8th place hitter Frank Meade to look at strike 3 with the bases loaded. It was a 39-pitch inning for the Louisville starter.

Meanwhile, Rutgers' starter Jon McCue - 7-0 with a 1.70 ERA - did not fair any better. Three pitches into the game, the score was 2-1, as the first two Louisville hitters, Boomer Whiting and Logan Johnson, hit back-to-back doubles to cut the deficit in half. Then after McCue retired Louisville's 3 and 4 hitters, DH Jorge Castillo unloaded on a pitch and drove it over the left field wall to give his team the lead.

3-2 Louisville, end of 1.