Louisville Bounces Back, Run Rules Virginia to Even Series

The Cardinals will go for the series win over the Cavaliers in the regular season finale.

Louisville baseball left-handed pitcher Ty Starke | University of Louisville Athletics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Continuing on their series against Virginia to conclude the regular season, the Louisville baseball program was able to bounce back in authoritative fashion in game two, winning 12-2 via run-rule on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

The three-game tilt between the Cardinals (29-26, 12-17 ACC) and the Cavaliers (35-19, 14-15 ACC) now heads to the game three rubber match. UofL has a 1-4 record in ACC rubber matches this season.

Not only did Louisville collect 17 total base hits as a team, every batter in the lineup had a base hit, and seven drove in a run. Outfielders Griffin Crain (2-3, 3 RBI, 2 2B, BB) and Zion Rose (3-6, 2 RBI), plus DH Ben Slanker (2-5, 2 RBI, 3B) drove in multiple runs.

Six total Cardinals had multi-hit days: Crain, Slanker, Rose, shortstop Alex Alicea (3-5, RBI), first baseman Tague Davis (2-5, RBI, 2 2B) and outfielder Lucas Moore (2-3, RBI, 2 BB).

Louisville was a consistent force at the plate to start the game, putting up three-spots in the first three innings of the evening to score nine unanswered.

In the opening frame, Crain and third baseman Bayram Hot (1-4, RBI, 2B, BB) both had RBI doubles, while Slanker notched an RBI single. The next inning, Alicea scored on a wild pitch, Crain collected a sacrifice fly and Slanker smacked an RBI triple. Then in the third, Rose scratched across a run on a groundout, while Crain and Davis both laced RBI doubles.

Backing up the early efforts at the plate, Colton Hartman (5.0 IP, 3 K, 3 BB, 4 H) put together arguably his best performance of the season over on the mound. In what was his 14th total appearance and 11th start, the left-hander posted his first scoreless outing of the season.

Once Hartman's day was done, Virginia started to get some life in the batter's box. Right-hander Brandon Shannon (1.1 IP, 3 K, 3 BB, 2 H, 2 ER) took over in the sixth, allowing a two-out solo homer in the frame. Then after giving up an RBI double in the seventh, lefty Ty Starke (1.2 IP, 2 K, 1 BB) was inserted.

From then on, whatever life UVA did have was snuffed out by Starke. He got Louisville out of the seventh, then would go on to put up a zero in the eighth.

While Louisville's offense slowed down considerably after their early assault on the scoreboard, it picked up down the stretch. Moore struck an RBI single in the sixth, then the Cardinals got the two runs needed in the eighth to go home early, with Alicea and then Rose collecting RBI singles.

Next up for Louisville, they'll wrap up the regular season with their series finale against Virginia. First pitch is slated for Saturday, May 16 at 1:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

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(Photo of Ty Starke via University of Louisville Athletics)