Louisville Sweeps Doubleheader, Series vs. Akron

The Cardinals move to 8-3 on the young season with a series sweep over the Zips.

Game 1

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
UA	0	1	3	0	0	0	2	0	0	6	9	2
UL	0	0	0	1	11	3	5	0	X	20	18	1

W: Ryan Hawks (2-1), L: Taed Heydinger (0-3)

Game 2

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
UA	2	1	0	0	0	4	2	0	0	9	12	4
UL	1	4	0	3	0	9	0	5	X	22	18	3

W: Cam Robinson (1-0), L: Anthony Fett (0-1)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After taking down Akron in the series opener the day before, the Louisville baseball program completed the series sweep by sweeping a doubleheader as well, winning 20-6 in game two and 22-9 in game three Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

The Cardinals (8-3) were white hot at the plate all day long, combining to plate 42 runs on 36 hits, while launching nine total home runs. They also move to 8-0 all-time against the Zips (1-8).

The 42 runs set a school record for a doubleheader, and marker the third time Louisville has scored at least 20 runs in back-to-back games, and the first time since 1991. It also matched the school record for runs in a single day, as the Cardinals beat Georgetown College 42-1 in a single 4.5-inning game on April 18, 1947.

Louisville had a slow start to game one, and Akron took advantage of that. The Zips teed off on starting pitcher left-hander Riley Phillips (4.0 IP, 5 K, 2 BB, 7 H, 3 ER) to plate the game's first four runs, and the Cardinals were hitless through the first four innings.

After they collected a sacrifice fly in the fourth, Louisville's hitters broke the floodgates wide open and teed off on Akron's pitchers. The Cardinals put up 11 runs in the fifth, their first time putting up double digit runs in an inning since plating 10 in the second against Morehead State on Mar. 3, 2020. That was then followed up by a three-spot in the sixth and a five-spot in the seventh.

Right-hander Ryan Hawks (3.0 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 H, 2 ER) was the first pitcher out of the bullpen, eating up the middle innings while only allowing a two-run homer in the seventh. Right-hander Carson Liggitt (1.0 IP, 2 K) and left-hander Carter Lohman (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB) each tossed a scoreless frame to end the game and secure the victory.

Christian Knapczyk (3-5, HR, 3 RBI, BB) had his fourth three-hit game of the young season, while also hitting his first career home run. Ben Metzinger (1-5, HR, 5 RBI) set a career-high in RBI's, launching his first career grand slam in the process.

Dalton Rushing (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Drake Westcott (1-1, 2 RBI, 2B), JT Benson (1-4, 3 RBI, 3B), and Ben Bianco (1-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB) also drove in multiple runs in the first leg of the doubleheader.

Like in game one of the doubleheader, Akron was the one who struck first in game two. The Zips had early success against right-handed starter Will Koger (3.0 IP, 3 K, 3 BB, 2 H, 2 ER), putting up three runs in the first two innings.

The Cardinals' bats didn't take time in this game to get going, either. Louisville plated five runs in the first two innings, including a four-spot in the second to take the lead. Three more runs were also added in the fourth for good measure.

As it turns out, those three runs were needed. After Cam Robinson (1.2 IP, 2 H) had a scoreless outing, Akron put up four-spot in the sixth to pull within a run of Louisville.

They chased out left-hander Adam Dowler (1.0, 2 K, 1 BB, 3 H, 2 ER), then did so with right-hander Kyle Walter (0.0 IP, 1 H) and lefty Garrett Schmeltz (0.0 IP, 1 H) without either getting a single out. Righty Kaleb Corbett (1.1 IP, 2 K, 2 H) had to be inserted to finally stop the bleeding.

But that one-run deficit was as close as the Zips could make it, as the Cardinals then immediately responded with a nine-run bottom of the sixth, then posted a five-spot in the eighth.

By the time Louisville was done hitting, they had launched six home runs in this game alone. Metzinger (1-4, HR, RBI, 2 BB) had one in the first, Logan Beard (2-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, BB) struck one in the second and eighth, then Bianco (2-5, HR, 5 RBI, SF), Masterman (1-5, HR, 3 RBI, BB) and Rushing (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, BB) each launched one in the sixth.

Corbett surrendered a two-run homer in the seventh, but that would be the final runs scored by Akron. Left-handers Evan Webster (1.0 IP) and Michael Prosecky (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 H) combined each pitched a scoreless inning to end the game.

(Photo of Christian Knapczyk: Jared Anderson - State of Louisville)

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