Late-game heroics put U of L in regional final – The Courier-Journal
Steve Jones, @stevejones_cj 
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Cardinals coach discusses 4-3 regional win over Michigan on Saturday.
Colin Lyman’s primary role for the University of Louisville baseball team is to be ready to run.
After his job well-done Saturday evening, the Cardinals are one win away from another trip to the NCAA super regionals.
The pinch-runner Lyman stole third, then tagged up and scored on Devin Hairston’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly to propel U of L past Michigan 4-3 for the Cardinals’ second straight NCAA regional win at Jim Patterson Stadium.
“I’m ready for any opportunity to help the team,” said Lyman, who has appeared in 38 games, mostly as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement. “It was just a cool experience. I kind of visualize — since that’s my role — coming in late and scoring the winning run.”
U of L (45-16), the tournament’s No. 3 overall seed, can now win the regional with a victory at 4 p.m. Sunday against the winner of a noon elimination game between Michigan and Bradley. That winner must defeat the Cards on Sunday and Monday to advance. Bradley stayed alive by eliminating Morehead State 9-4.
Another not-everyday U of L player, first baseman Danny Rosenbaum, added a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Wolverines (38-24) and got the leadoff single in the ninth that led to Lyman’s winning run.
The late-game drama was preceded by a left-handed pitching duel between U of L freshman Brendan McKay and Michigan sophomore Brett Adcock.
“It’s always fun to have a pitcher’s duel, to see who can keep going their best and make their pitches and not make mistakes,” McKay said. “If you can’t get excited to pitch in a (Saturday winner’s bracket) game in a regional, I don’t know why you’re here.”
McKay allowed four hits and one earned run — a solo homer in the fourth by Carmen Benedetti — and struck out five. Adcock struck out six in seven innings, giving up three hits and only the two runs on Rosenbaum’s bomb.
“It was two outstanding left-handers going at it,” Michigan coach Erik Bakich said. “(Adcock) and McKay were matching each other pitch for pitch. The difference was Rosenbaum had a guy on base, and Carmen hit a solo shot. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Story continues after the video
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Brendan McKay, Danny Rosenbaum, Dan McDonnell after 4-3 win
But the Cards blew a two-run lead after McKay’s departure and needed to manufacture the run in the ninth to win.
Lyman pinch ran for Rosenbaum, reached second with a great jump on a groundout, then stole third.
Hairston’s fly ball then went several steps into foul territory down the right-field line, but instead of letting it drop, Michigan right fielder Johnny Slater sprinted, dived and caught the ball. His throw home was late, and Lyman broke a 3-all tie.
“I knew it had a chance to be foul, and I was just hoping that he was going to catch it, so I could tag and score that run,” Lyman said. “That was a big play by Devin to at least get us in a close situation to score there.”
Bakich said he didn’t blame Slater for making the catch because it was a rare situation in which he was trying to make an aggressive play while tracking the ball and probably didn’t know he was definitely in foul ground.
“Their kid made an unbelievable catch; what a great catch,” U of L coach Dan McDonnell said. “If he’s camped under it, maybe he can make the decision to let it bounce, but he’s got to go for that catch. An unbelievable catch, but unfortunately for them, it hurt them.”
Zack Burdi (6-0) closed out the ninth to get the win for Louisville, redeeming himself after surrendering pinch hitter Kyle Jusick’s two-run, bases-loaded single with two outs in the eighth that allowed Michigan to tie it at 3.
U of L’s offense struggled against Adcock, who’d allowed two hits and had a 1-0 lead before Rosenbaum’s two-out blast to left center that also plated Zach Lucas.
It was just the second homer of the season for Rosenbaum, who was in the lineup while regular first baseman McKay pitched. His ninth-inning single was key after he’d committed a fielding error that kept Michigan’s eighth inning alive.
The Cards, who also got an RBI single in the eighth from Corey Ray, won their 10th straight NCAA Tournament game at Patterson Stadium and improved to 17-4 there in regional and super regional play.
The game was delayed 53 minutes during the second inning due to severe weather.
Louisville 000 000 211 – 4 6 2
Michigan 000 100 020 – 3 6 3
WP – Zack Burdi (6-0). LP – Jacob Cronenworth (3-7). HR – Danny Rosenbaum (L), Carmen Benedetti (M). Records – Louisville 45-16, Michigan 38-24.
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