Fresh Starts

With two key members of the Louisville Longhorns’ pitching staff on the shelf and unavailable for mound duty in this weekend’s Nations/Battle Against Cancer tournament in Brandenburg, Kentucky, head coach Rick Arnold delved into his rich reserve of quality arms and got big wins from two previously-unheralded hurlers. His pool-play games 1 and 2 starters had only one start between them over the Longhorns’ first 21 contests, but the two took the horsehide from their lofty leader and pitched like seasoned veterans, allowing no earned runs over a combined 7 innings.

Andrew Arnold tossed 4 innings of shut-out ball

in just his second start of the season.

Although even the most impressive hilltop performances are sometimes negated by a lack of run support from the apple-knockers, such was not to be the case on this cloudy Saturday morning, as the Longhorn offense delivered double-digit hit and run tallies for the sixth straight game. With 12 markers and 11 safeties in each of their pool-play tilts, the ’Horns went 2-0 and were guaranteed a high seed going into Sunday’s bracket-play phase of the tournament.

RE-CAP  Making his first start in over six weeks, and only his second start of the season, Andrew Arnold looked every bit the Cy Young Award candidate, going the distance against the E-Town Xtreme and allowing only three base runners on two hits and a walk, while striking out four. What little run support was needed was provided in the first inning, when the ’Horns sent 11 batters to the plate and put a half-dozen tallies up on the board. Not leaving anything to chance, the team would plate three more runs in the each of the next two innings as well, en route to 12-0, run-rule victory.

Bryce Elmore was locked in,

going 3-for-3 at the plate with 4 RBIs.

SATURDAY IN THE PARK  Serious Damage: The 12-run, 11-hit offensive was led by Bryce Elmore, who went 3-for-3 with a booming triple and 4 RBIs... Three’s Company: Matthew Higgins and Andrew Arnold each drove in three runs, with both going 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly... Dirty Dozens: Andrew Littlefield’s two-bagger to lead off the first inning extended his hit-streak to 12 games, and Casey Simon’s 2 runs scored meant that he had crossed the plate at least one time in each of the last 12 games... Revolution No. 9: Simon’s base on balls in the first inning ended a streak in which he recorded nine hits in nine straight at bats... Welcome Back My Friend, to the Show That Never Ends: Returning to the fold for the first time since 2010, Mitchell Elliott stroked a run-scoring base hit in his first Longhorn at bat of the 2011 season.

Mitchell Elliott was welcomed with open arms

in his return to the Longhorns.

RE-CAP  Having not started a game all season, it might have been unreasonable to expect starting pitcher Bryce Elmore to not allow a single earned run against the Floyds Knobs Fuzion in the second game of pool-play in the Nations/Battle Against Cancer tournament. But that is exactly what Ol’ Number 3 delivered, along with five strikeouts, over three full innings Saturday morning, while behind him the Louisville Longhorn cudgel-clutchers mounted an 11-hit, 12-run attack for the third straight game.

Bryce Elmore brings the heat,

while center fielder Andrew Littlefield cheers him on.

POOL QUEUES  Doing Double Duty: Once again, it was Bryce Elmore holding the hit parade baton, amply supporting his own pitching cause with a 2-for-3 plate performance, including a double and 2 RBIs... Imagine What I Could Do with a Full-Time Job: In just his second game back with the Longhorns, Mitchell Elliott was also 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs... Me Too!: Noah Baugher, with base knocks in his first two at bats, joined Elmore and Elliott in the 2-for-3 club... Knock ’em Down, Knock ’em In: After knocking in 3 runs apiece in the previous contest, Matthew Higgins and Andrew Arnold each added 2 more ribbies in Game 2... Lucky 13: Andrew Littlefield’s third inning single ran his hit streak to 13 games, and Casey Simon’s first inning run gave him at least one plate-crossing in each of the last baker’s dozen worth of meetings... Mr. Consistent: Ryan Hamilton scored 2 runs for the fifth consecutive game... Habit Forming: With 2 base hits and 2 walks, Nicholas Parrish has reached base in 4 out of 5 plate appearances so far in the tournament... Look Out, Here He Comes: Brendan Koester’s fifth inning, run-scoring single gave him base hits in each of the last three games.

Matthew Higgins prepares to drive in his fifth run of the tournament.

Nicholas Parrish laces a second inning single.