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CLEARWATER, Fla. – USF pitcher Jimmy Herget allowed just one run and struck out six in a complete-game effort to lead No. 5-seeded USF to a 2-1 win against top-seeded Louisville Friday in the third day of pool play in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship at Bright House Field.
 
The win for USF (27-30) moves all four teams in Pool A to 1-1 in the championship, setting the stage for two crucial games Saturday. Louisville (44-14) faces Rutgers at 3 p.m., and USF takes on Memphis at 7. The winners of those games will tie for first in Pool A, with the head-to-head result of the tied teams determining the tiebreaker for Sunday’s championship game.
 
Herget allowed a run on two hits in the first inning, but took over from there, retiring 13 consecutive Louisville hitters between the second and seventh innings.
 
Louisville struck first as Nick Solak reached on an infield hit, took third on Jeff Gardner’s base hit to right, and scored on Alex Chittenden’s sacrifice fly to left.
 
USF’s first eight hitters went down in order, but No. 9 hitter Luke Maglich drew a two-out walk to set the table for the Bulls in the bottom of the third. Maglich took second on Austin Lueck’s single to left and scored on Kyle Teaf’s base hit to center, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The Bulls got what turned out to be the winning run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Zac Gilcrease led off with a base hit to left, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Luke Borders’ base hit to leftfield.
 
The Cardinals threatened to tie it in the top of the eighth as Cole Sturgeon drew a one-out walk. Solak struck out for the second out, after which Sturgeon stole second and took third on a wild pitch. That forced the Bulls to intentionally walk Gardner, the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, to put runners at the corners. Herget answered with a strikeout of Chittenden, whiffing him to end the threat.
 
Louisville put its leadoff man on to start the ninth inning as Grant Kay singled to left. But Kay was caught stealing for the first out and Herget got the next two hitters on fly balls to end the game.
 
Teaf and Gilcrease both went 2-for-4 for the Bulls. Louisville was led at the plate by Solak and Ray, who were 2-for-4 as well. Louisville lost for just the third time in its last 20 games.
 
 
 
 
2014 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
bright house field • clearwater, fla.
 
                                       Tournament
Pool A                                Record
No. 1 Louisville                                 1-1
No. 4 Rutgers                                    1-1
No. 5 USF                                          1-1
No. 8 Memphis                                 1-1
 
                                       Tournament
Pool B                                Record
No. 2 UCF                                          2-0
No. 7 UConn                                      1-1
No. 3 Houston                                   1-1
No. 6 Temple                                    0-2
 
 
Wednesday, May 21 – Pool Play
UCF 7, UConn 1
Houston 3, Temple 0
Rutgers 10, USF 0 (7 innings)
 
Thursday, May 22 – Pool Play
UConn 7, Houston 2
Louisville 13, Memphis 3 (7 innings)
UCF 6, Temple 2
 
Friday, May 23 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
Memphis 5, Rutgers 1
USF 2, Louisville 1
No. 3 Houston (42-15) vs. No. 2 UCF (36-22)                                      7 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 24 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 6 Temple (14-32) vs. No. 7 UConn (27-30)                                11 a.m.
No. 1 Louisville (44-14) vs. No. 4 Rutgers (30-24)                             3 p.m.
No. 5 USF (27-30) vs. No. 8 Memphis (29-29)                                    7 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 25 – Final (ESPNU)
Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner                                                             Noon
 
all times Eastern