Louisville Loses Finale, Series to Pitt

Facing Pitt in the rubber match of their three-game weekend series against them, the Louisville baseball fell short in the end, dropping the finale 13-7 to lose the series.

The Cardinals (17-11, 4-5 ACC) have now lost back-to-back series in conference play after winning their first. The Panthers (19-7, 5-4 ACC) took the opener 4-3 on Friday, but UofL won 8-5 in game two on Saturday.

Like so many other games up to this point, pitching is what did Louisville in, as Pitt was able to generate an astounding 29 base runners (14 hits, 13 walks, two HBPs). Hitting wasn't much better for the Cardinals, as they collected just roughly half of what their visitors did with 16 base runners (nine hits, seven walks).

Catcher George Baker (1-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB), first baseman Tague Davis (2-5, HR, RBI) and third baseman Bayram Hot (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) all hit home runs on the day, and were responsible for all seven of Louisville's runs. Outfielders Griffin Crain (2-4, BB) and Ben Slanker (2-5) also had multi-hit days.

Louisville dug themselves into a hole fairly quickly, as Pitt scored the first six runs of the game, including five in the first three innings.

On just the fourth pitch of the game, Brandon Shannon (1.2 IP, 3 BB, 3 H, 2 HBP, 4 ER) allowed a two-run home. An inning later, the right-hander then gave up an RBI single that also saw a second run come home on a throwing error, resulting in getting an early hook.

Left-hander Ethan Eberle (3.0 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 5 H, 3 ER), normally a starter, was inserted to get the final out of the second. That being said, he would also get tagged by the Panthers, allowing an RBI single in the third.

Eberle would put up a zero in the fourth, but ran into more trouble in the fifth, giving up an RBI single to spell the end of his relief outing. Jack Brown (1.2 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 4 H, 3 ER) got the Cards out of the frame, but not before the right-hander allowed a two-run blast on the first pitch he threw.

After 12 of their first 13 batters were retired, included the first 10 of the day, Louisville finally started to get some momentum at the plat. Baker hit a 353-foot three-run blast in the fifth to put UofL on the scoreboard, then Hot launched a 402-foot solo homer on the first pitch of the sixth.

In the seventh, Pitt got a couple of those runs back. After Brown was relieved and fellow righty Zane Stahl (0.0 IP, 1 BB) was given a quick hook, left-hander Ty Starke (0.2 IP, 1 K, 1 H) gave up a two-run single. That being said, Louisville added two more runs in the bottom of the frame, with Hot drawing a bases loaded walk and Davis hitting an RBI single.

However, the Panthers weren't done, plating three more runs in the eighth. Southpaw Casen Murphy (0.1 IP, 1 K, 3 BB, 1 H, 3 ER) gave up a two-run homer prior to getting pulled, while right-hander Eli Hoyt (0.2 IP, 1 K, 2 BB) let a run come home on a wild pitch.

Lefty Nicholas Ballard (0.1 IP, 2 BB) and righty Tanner Thomas (0.2 IP) combined for a scoreless ninth, but unfortunately, Louisville generated only one run in the bottom of the frame after going scoreless in the eighth: a 449-foot solo homer by Davis.

Next up for Louisville, they'll head back on the road but stay in the state, heading to Lexington for a neutral site midweek matchup at Eastern Kentucky. First pitch is slated for Tuesday, Mar. 31 at 1:00 p.m. EST, and will be broadcast on 970 WGTK.

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