UH comes up short in front of tall crowd

As with any high drama event, shifts in momentum often rise to match the level of the spectacle.

No.10 Louisville’s 4-2 win over No.7 UH in the largest home attendance — 3,349 — matched exactly that, which included a close play at the plate that saw both Louisville score and stirred such a reaction from UH head coach Todd Whitting that he was ejected from the game.

UH, now sitting at 26-7 and 4-3 in American Athletic Conference play, played well enough to win for the majority of the game. Junior righthander Aaron Garza, recently named to the Golden Spikes Watch List, surrendered only one earned run against six hits and two walks and five strikeouts. But it was the flash at home plate that saw Louisville take game one of the three game series.

“We had a bad first (inning), and I guess (UH) had a bad fifth,” said Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell. “Otherwise, it was a good game for both sides. There’s going to be a handful of bang-bang calls throughout the game. I guess there’s no way you’re going to please both parties. This happened to displease the home crowd, who were the loudest group.”

The play at home solidified the two-run lead in the top of the seventh and moved Louisville pitcher Kyle Funkhouser increase his record to 7-1 on the season.

“They (UH)were free-swinging at a lot of fastball,” said Funkhouser. “I just try and live in the zone and get ahead. After the first inning, it felt like it was working out. I wasn’t prepared for a lot of free-swinging, so I had to bare down.”

UH took a 2-0 lead in the first before being limited to one hit the rest of the game, courtesy of sophomore second baseman Josh Vidales.

UH, now 19-3 at home at Cougar Field, saw its team ERA flutter to 1.74, with relievers Jared Robinson and Aaron Stewart allowing no hits and only two walks.

“We knew we were going to have to play very good baseball,” said McDonnell, whose Cardinals are now at 5-2 in American play. From his perch in the visitors’ dugout, he had a less than prime view of the disputed play, but sympathized with UH manager Todd Whitting about his reaction and subsequent ejection.

“But I would have had to have argued on my end, too,” said McDonnell when asked how he would have reacted had the situation been reversed. “I’m not immune to getting tossed, but I would have had to run out there, argue and support my team. “

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