Louisville Blows Seven-Run Lead, Drops Series Opener Against Clemson

The Cardinals led 11-4 through four innings, then allowed eight unanswered runs to the Tigers.

Louisville baseball infielder Dylan Hoy (9) / Jared Anderson - Louisville Report

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kicking off a three-game weekend set against Clemson, the Louisville baseball program squandered a massive opportunity in the series opener, blowing a seven-run lead to fall 12-11 on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Leading 11-4 through the first four innings of the evening, the Cardinals (24-17, 9-10 ACC) then proceeded to give eight unanswered runs to the Tigers (33-8, 14-5 ACC), giving up the lead in the ninth inning. Louisville's pitching staff gave up nine earned runs, while their defense committed three errors.

The meltdown wasted some good performances at the plate for Louisville. J.T. Benson (1-3, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB) and Eddie King Jr. (1-3, 2 RBI, BB) paced the offense, each driving in multiple runs, with Isaac Humphrey (2-5, RBI, 3B) and Gavin Kilen (2-5, RBI, 2B) also having multi-hit days. Seven of their starters collected base hits on the night.

Louisville left multiple ducks on the pond over the first two innings of the game, but finally broke through in the third inning with an RBI triple from Humphrey to break the early scoreless tie.

Cardinals starting pitcher Sebastian Gongora (4.0 IP, 7 K, 3 BB, 7 H, 5 ER) twirled three scoreless innings to start the game, but Clemson got through to him in the fourth. The Tigers put up a four-spot in the frame, with Gongora giving up a three RBI singles, and a fourth run coming home on a throwing error.

Louisville immediately responded with a flood of runs of their own, exploding for a ten-spot in the bottom of the fourth. Benson collected a two-run double, King drove in two as well on a single, Kilen hit an RBI single, two runners came home on a throwing error from the pitcher, and three more runners came home on three separate wild pitches.

Following the influx of runs, Louisville's offense went cold, generating only one baserunner for over the next three innings. This, in turn, allowed Clemson start to claw back into the game.

Patrick Forbes (1.1 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, 1 H) gave up a two-run single in the fifth, then after a scoreless sixth split between him and Kayden Campbell (1.2 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 2 H, 1 ER), the latter allowed a groundout RBI in the seventh. The next inning, an error set up a Tigers RBI single with Tucker Biven (2.0 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 6 H, 4 ER) on the bump.

In the ninth, Clemson officially completed the comeback with a four-spot. After Louisville wasted an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth to pad their lead, the Tigers made them pay by collecting a sacrifice fly and three RBI singles off of Biven in the ninth.

The Cardinals got the leadoff runner on base in the bottom of the ninth, but a base running blunder put a stop to any momentum and helped seal the loss.

Next up for Louisville, they'll attempt to even the series against Clemson in game two. First pitch is slated for Saturday, Apr. 27 at 1:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

(Photo of Dylan Hoy: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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