Louisville Completes Season-Opening Sweep of Bucknell

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
BU	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	8	0
UL	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	5	8	0

W: Carson Liggett (1-0), L: Tyler O'Neill (0-1), S: Ben Wiegman (1)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With their season-opening series against Bucknell already in tow, the Louisville baseball program finished what they started in their third and final game of the series, winning 5-3 Sunday at Jim Patterson Stadium to complete the sweep.

Starting pitcher Carson Liggett (5.0 IP, 6 K, 1 BB, 5 H, 2 ER) and relievers Greg Farone (3.0 IP, 8 K, 3 BB, 3 H, 1 ER) and Ben Wiegman (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB) combined to strikeout 15 batters on the afternoon for the No. 5 Cardinals (3-0).

It made up for an offense that hadn't been as hot as they were in the first two games of the series. Each of Louisville's five RBIs was driven in by a different player, but just four Cardinals got on base more than once. Tyeler Hawkins (2-4, RBI) was the lone batter to log multiple hits for the game, Logan Beard (1-1, 2 BB, HBP) got on base four times.

Unlike the first two games, it was Bucknell who struck first, doing so right out of the gates. The Bisons collected an RBI single off of Liggett in the first, giving the Cardinals their first deficit of the season.

Louisville responded swiftly, scratching across four runs in the bottom of the frame for their third four-spot of the weekend. The Cardinals posted four consecutive RBI singles in the inning, courtesy of Ryan McCoy (1-4, RBI), Patrick Forbes (1-4, RBI), Haven Mangrum (1-2, RBI) and Hawkins.

Following the productive first inning, Louisville's bats fell into a bit of a lull. They tallied no base hits in the second through fifth innings after amassing five in the bottom of the first.

This allowed Bucknell the opportunity to chip into Louisville's lead. Even with a career-high in strikeouts and innings pitched from Liggett, he would also allow a home run in the third inning, then Farone would surrender a solo homer himself in the sixth in what was his Louisville debut.

The Cardinals did just enough to keep the Bisons at bay down the stretch. Noah Smith (1-3, RBI) added to their lead in the sixth with an RBI single, then Farone was able to work his way out of a pair of jams to post the most strikeouts by a Louisville reliever this season. Wiegman then came in to pitch a scoreless ninth and notch his first career save.

Next up for Louisville, they'll host Xavier for their first midweek game of the season. First pitch is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

(Photo via Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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