Louisville Drops Road Showdown at Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Traveling to Kentucky for the first leg of their annual home-and-home midweek series against their in-state arch rival, the Louisville baseball program could not pull off the road upset, instead falling 4-2 on Tuesday at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Cardinals (19-14, 5-7 ACC) have not only lost eight of their last 12 games this season, they've now dropped three of their last four meetings against the Wildcats (24-8, 6-6 SEC). UofL will try and get revenge against UK when they host them on Apr. 21.

While pitching has certainly not been Louisville's strong suit this season, it was not the reason they lost. While Kentucky generated 14 base runners, Cardinals pitchers gave up just three earned runs, and struck out eight Wildcats.

Conversely, UofL's offense - which entered the matchup sporting the third-highest team batting average in D1 - was ice cold at the plate. While they drew 10 walks and three HBPs as a team, they also went 1-for-16 with runners on base.

First baseman Tague Davis (1-2, RBI, 2 BB) and shortstop Zach Davis (1-4) collected Louisville's only base hits, and third baseman Bayram Hot (0-3, RBI) had the only other RBI. Outfielders Griffin Crain (0-1, 3 BB, HBP) and Lucas Moore (0-1, 3 BB) both had three walks.

Louisville was quick to jump on the scoreboard, with Hot driving in a run on a groundout just four batters into the game in the top of the first. However, the Cardinals didn't generate another base runner until the fourth inning, and didn't break the no-hitter until the seventh.

Normally a bullpen arm, Jake Schweitzer (3.0 IP, 3 K, 2 H) earned the start against Kentucky, marking just the second start of his collegiate career. While the right-hander's start lasted on three innings, it matched his longest outing so far this season, and was his longest without allowing a run.

T.J. Schlageter (1.1 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, 1 H, 1 ER) was the first reliever out of the bullpen, and the left-hander worked himself into an immediate bases loaded jam - but only allowed a game-tying sacrifice fly. An inning later in the fifth, he and righty Jack Brown (1.1 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 3 H, 2 ER) combined to put up a scoreless frame.

After being mostly stymied in the first half of the showdown, Kentucky's bats woke up in the sixth inning, with Louisville allowing a trio of runs in the frame. Brown gave up a pair of RBI singles, and a third run came in on a throwing error, requiring right-handed Brandon Shannon (0.1 IP) to come in and stop the bleeding.

Left-hander Ty Starke (0.1 IP, 1 H) and right-hander Peter Michael (0.2 IP, 1 K) split a scoreless seventh, then righty Eli Hoyt (1.0 IP, 1 BB) put up a zero in the eighth. Davis had an RBI single in the ninth, but the comeback effort fell well short.

Next up for Louisville, they'll return home for a weekend series with Stanford. First pitch of game one is slated for Friday, Apr. 10 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for the latest news.

More Cardinals Stories