Forbes, Louisville Take Down ETSU in NCAA Tournament Opener

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated May 30, 2025 4:47 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Kicking off their run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a showdown against East Tennessee State, the Louisville baseball program got their Road to Omaha started on the right foot, winning 8-3 on Friday down at Hawkins Field.

Making their first appearance in the Big Dance since 2022, the second-seeded Cardinals (36-21) move to 13-1 in NCAA Tournament openers under head coach Dan McDonnell, extending their winning streak in such games to 12 - which is the longest active streak in Division I. They also capture their first NCAA Tournament win away from Jim Patterson Stadium since June 20, 2019, when they took down Mississippi State 4-3 in the College World Series.

Progressing through the winner's bracket of the Nashville Regional, the victory over the third-seeded Buccaneers (41-16) now sets up a showdown between Louisville and the winner of tonight's matchup between No. 1 overall national seed Vanderbilt and fourth-seeded Wright State. First pitch of the 1-0 game is set for Saturday, May 31 at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Louisville was primarily powered by a brilliant start on the mound from Patrick Forbes (6.0 IP, 13 K, 4 BB, 2 H, 2 ER). Making his postseason debut, the right-hander not only tied his career-high in strikeouts, it set new single-game postseason record by a Cardinals pitcher.

Over at the plate, Eddie King Jr. (3-4, HR, 2 RBI), Matt Klein (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Lucas Moore (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) all hit home runs on the afternoon. King set a new career-high with his 15th of the season, while Klein went yard in what was his first start in over two months.

Garret Pike (2-4, RBI) and Zion Rose (0-3, RBI, SF) also drove in runs to aid the winning effort.

East Tennessee State was the first to strike, taking advantage of a shaky third inning by Forbes and blasting a two-run home run. Louisville was quick to respond, with Moore launching a 392-foot, two-run homer of his own in the bottom of the frame to tie the game.

Moore's home run proved to be the start of eight unanswered runs for the Cardinals. In the fourth, Pike struck a go-ahead RBI single while Rose collected a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Klein smashed a 379-foot, two-run homer in the fifth, then King followed that up with a 416-foot solo shot. King then added an insurance RBI single in the seventh.

After Forbes' day was done, Louisville got some quality work from Brennyn Cutts (2.2 IP, 5 K, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 HBP) out of the bullpen. He put up a zero in the seventh, allowed just a solo home run in the eighth, then shut the door with a scoreless ninth to earn the save.