DeNato Pitches Gem as IU Tops Louisville in CWS

Saturday, June 15

Omaha, Neb.

8:00 PM

Indiana University

49-14

Louisville

51-13

Indiana

Louisville

DeNato Pitches Gem as IU Tops Louisville in CWS

6/16/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

June 16, 2013

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OMAHA, Neb. - Hoosier Baseball ousted the Louisville Cardinals (51-13) in Indiana's first ever College World Series appearance, grinding out a 2-0 win. The CWS victory improves Indiana's overall season record to 49-14, 6-0 in the NCAA Tournament and 3-1 versus Louisville in 2013. The triumph also tilts the all-time series versus Louisville in favor of IU, 22-21.

It was a mirror image of February 15 when the Hoosiers topped Louisville by the replicate tally of 2-0. Scott Donley and Michael Basil drove in the pair of runs in the season opener, and again Saturday night in Omaha. Starting pitcher Joey DeNato baffled the Cards in both meetings as well.

DeNato provided a gem on the hill, tossing a complete game shutout. He gutted out a career-high 136 pitches with eight strikeouts to carry Indiana. After blanking the Cardinals for four frames in the first game of the year, DeNato has now worked 13.0 scoreless vs. UL in 2013.

With DeNato's performance, IU becomes the first school to toss a shutout in its first CWS game since Georgia Tech in 1994 (beat Cal State Fullerton 2-0). The Yellowjackets went on to play in the championship game that year.

Lead-off hitter Will Nolden set the table immediately, getting aboard with a six-pitch walk. Kyle Schwarber followed with a rocket back up the middle to place a pair Hoosiers on the base paths with no outs. A caught stealing and strikeout caused a temporary buzzkill before Scott Donley reinvigorated the Hoosier mojo lining an RBI-single into center field.

It marked the 29th time in 63 games Indiana had scored in the first inning. The #HotStartHoosiers are outscoring the competition 60-24 in the opening frame.

Indiana pushed the repeat button in the third frame as Nolden's lead-off walk was piggybacked by a scalded Schwarber single. Two batters later Michael Basil pierced the left side of the infield to drive in Nolden give Indiana a 2-0 edge.

The bottom of the third ended on Louisville's first hit of the game when Nolden unleashed a frozen rope to nab a runner coming home. The Indianapolis native's sixth outfield assist of the season beat the runner by a long shot, allowing Schwarber to apply an easy tag for out number three.

The Cream and Crimson next face Mississippi State Monday (June 17) evening for a slot in the four-team bracket finals. The 8:08 pmET /7:08 pm CT first pitch goes live on ESPN.