Louisville Falls to Miami in ACC Pool Play

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UM	3	0	0	0	0	2	3	0	0	8	12	0
UL	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	5	11	0

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Playing in the very first game of the 2024 ACC Baseball Championship, Louisville's hopes of attaining an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament took a massive hit against Miami, falling 8-5 in pool play Tuesday at Truist Field.

Already sitting squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble, the seventh-seeded Cardinals (32-23, 16-14 ACC) are eliminated from advancing to the semifinals of the ACC Baseball Championship. Thursday's matchup between the 11th-seeded Hurricanes (26-29, 11-19 ACC) and second-seeded Clemson will now determine the winner of Pool B.

J.T. Benson (3-3, HR, RBI, 2B, BB), Dylan Hoy (2-5, RBI, 2B) and Zion Rose (3-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2B) - who bat one through three in Louisville's order - all had multi-hit days. Benson, Rose and Luke Napleton (1-1, HR, RBI) all struck home runs as well.

However, the four through nine spots for the Cardinals produced just three base hits. On top of that, the team as a whole drew just one walk, struck out 10 times and hit 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

As for Louisville's pitching staff, they were roughed up by star Canes frosh Daniel Cuvet, who launched a pair of home runs and drove in six runs. Additionally, Cardinals pitchers gave up base hits to seven of Miami's nine starters.

Louisville's matchup against Miami got off to a less than ideal start. Starting pitcher Evan Webster (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 4 H, 3 ER) lasted only a single inning, allowing five batters to reach base, and giving up a three-run home run to Cuvet just three batters into the game.

After Webster's early hook, the Cardinals got a great relief outing from Patrick Forbes (5.0 IP, 5 K, 3 BB, 5 H, 2 ER) to help settle the pitching. He posted a career-long appearance and tossed a career-high 76 pitches, with his first four innings of work keeping Miami off the scoreboard.

Louisville's early inning offense wasn't particularly efficient, but they slowly chipped away at Miami's lead. Hoy collected an RBI double in the third, while Benson launched a solo home run in the fifth.

In the sixth inning, Forbes' command started to wane a bit, and the Canes took advantage. Miami hit a solo home run in the frame, as well as an RBI single.

Rose got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff homer, but the Canes pulled away in the very next inning. After Tucker Biven (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 2 H, 3 ER) was inserted, Cuvet struck again with another three-run homer.

Kaleb Corbett (2.0 IP, 4 K, 1 BB, 1 H) tossed scoreless eighth and ninth innings, but Louisville couldn't generate enough late offense to pull themselves out of the hole. They did plate two in the ninth, a Napleton solo homer and a Rose RBI double, but that wasn't enough to complete the comeback attempt.

Next up for Louisville, they'll face Clemson before heading back home. First pitch against the Tigers is slated for Friday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on the ACC Network and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

(Photo of Brandon Anderson: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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