Louisville Thumped in Series Finale at North Carolina to Secure Sweep

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Capping off a seven-game road trip with their series finale at North Carolina, the Louisville baseball program was sent back home with no wins under their belt from the weekend, falling 16-7 on Sunday at Boshamer Stadium.

The Cardinals (29-22, 13-14 ACC) are not only swept for the first time this season with their loss to the No. 11 Tar Heels (39-11, 20-7 ACC), but they fall back under .500 in ACC with just one week left in the regular season. Louisville was out-scored 36-15 during the series.

Eddie King Jr. (2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2B, BB) and J.T. Benson (3-4, HR, RBI, 2B) paced the offense, with King driving in three runs, Benson collecting three hits, and both hitting home runs. Alex Alicea (2-4, RBI, 2B, BB) also had a multi-hit day.

The solid offensive day was spoiled by a brutal day on the mound for Louisville. All 16 of North Carolina's runs were earned, the Cardinals gave up 16 base hits, and also walked 14 batters against just six strikeouts.

North Carolina put a stranglehold on the finale early on, plating eight runs in the second inning. Colton Hartman (1.0 IP, 1 K, 3 BB, 5 H, 6 ER) surrendered two- and three-run home runs, while Carson Liggett (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 2 H, 2 ER) allowed a pair of RBI singles that plated three runs.

Riley Phillips (2.0 IP, 1 K, 4 BB, 3 H, 3 ER) was able to toss a scoreless third, but even he felt UNC's wrath, allowing a three-run blast in the fourth to hand the Heels 11 unanswered runs to start that game.

Louisville finally broke the scoreboard in the fifth, putting together an explosive inning of their own with a six-spot. Benson hit a lead-off homer, Alicea scored on a throwing error, Isaac Humphrey (1-4, RBI, 2B) collected an RBI double and King smashed a three-run home run.

UNC got a run back in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly off of Parker Detmers (0.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 H, 1 ER), but the Cardinals immediately got said run right back in the sixth when Benson scored on an error.

That wrapped up Louisville's scoring efforts, but not for North Carolina. Tucker Biven (1.1 IP, 1 K, 2 H) tossed a scoreless sixth and Jared Lessman (1.0 IP, 2 K, 4 BB, 1 H, 3 ER) did so in the seventh, but then the Heels exploded once more for a four-run eighth.

Lessman was yanked after loading the bases with no out, to which Kayden Campbell (0.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 H, 1 ER) proceeded to allow a sacrifice fly and a three-run blast. Josh Klug (0.2 IP) was then handed the ball, and got the Cardinals out of the frame with no more damage done.

Unfortunately, Louisville's late inning offense was nowhere to be found. Over the final three innings, they generated just one base hit, with eight of their final nine outs coming via the strikeout.

Next up for Louisville, they'll return to Jim Patterson Stadium and host Indiana for their final midweek game of the regular season. First pitch is slated for Tuesday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

(Photo of Patrick Forbes: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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