LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Eric Shelton ran for 129 yards and tied a Louisville record with five touchdowns on the ground Saturday to lead the No. 22 Cardinals to a 59-7 win over East Carolina.<br>
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Louisville (4-0, 2-0 Conference USA) piled up 549 yards overall on the nation's second-worst defense and reached 40 points for the seventh time in 17 games under second-year coach Bobby Petrino.<br>
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The Cardinals, third in the nation in scoring defense, forced five turnovers and converted three into touchdowns in their last tuneup before an Oct. 14 date with fourth-ranked Miami.<br>
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James Pinkney went 13 of 23 for 126 yards with two interceptions for the Pirates (0-4, 0-1), who have lost nine straight games and 17 of their last 18. <br>
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Shelton asserted himself against the country's most porous rushing defense midway through the first quarter. On the second play of Louisville's second possession, the Florida State transfer found a hole up the middle and outran East Carolina's secondary for a 67-yard touchdown.<br>
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The Cardinals were on the move again early in the second quarter, but Michael Bush fumbled at the Pirates' 38. Three minutes later, Pinkney threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sean Harmon.<br>
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Other than Shelton's long run, the Cardinals' offense sputtered early and Petrino replaced senior quarterback Stefan LeFors with freshman Brian Brohm.<br>
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Petrino has made the move in the first half of every game this season, and this time Brohm was a catalyst. He went 3-for-3 on a nine-play scoring drive, which Shelton finished with a 1-yard TD run. <br>
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Montrell Jones returned an East Carolina punt 54 yards to set up Shelton's third TD run, a 3-yarder, midway through the second quarter.<br>
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Pinkney fumbled on the second play of the second half, and Shelton ended a three-play Louisville drive with another 1-yard touchdown run. Shelton tied the single-game school record for rushing touchdowns on a 39-yard sweep midway through the third quarter.<br>
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The Cardinals have outscored opponents 70-7 in the third quarter this season.
