WVU splits pair with Louisville

For the Times West Virginian

MORGANTOWN May 11, 2008 02:16 am

— West Virginia took a big step toward earning a berth in the Big East baseball tournament on Saturday night at Hawley Field by earning a split of a conference doubleheader.
Matt Yurish pitched the full nine innings of the nightcap for a 5-2 victory after the Cardinals had won the first game, 6-2, behind left-hander Justin Marks (6-1).
In snapping Louisville’s 10-game winning streak, Yurish, a senior left-hander from Martinsburg, gave up seven hits, struck out nine, walked just one and improved his record to 6-1.
The Mountaineers collected seven hits and ended a four-game losing skid. Right-hander Zack Pitts (5-5) suffered the loss.
Right fielder Justin Parks had a double and single and left fielder Mark Dvoroznak two singles in WVU’s winning attack. Austin Markel ripped a triple.
Second baseman Jedd Gyorko and third baseman Vince Belnome had three hits each in the first game and catcher Tobias Streich chipped in two. But Louisville collected 13 hits to 11, with third baseman Chris Dominguez slamming two home runs and Chris Clark one.
The teams will complete the three-game series on Sunday. The game will start at noon, an hour earlier than originally scheduled.
West Virginia (33-15, 12-11) visits Cincinnati next weekend for a three-game series which will wind up Big East regular-season play for both teams. Louisville (34-17, 14-9) has a series left with Rutgers.
Left-hander Justin Marks (6-1) was the winning pitcher of Saturday’s opener, with right-hander Josh Whitlock (7-5) taking the loss.