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Louisville Downs Wake Forest in Regular Season Finale

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated May 17, 2025 4:06 PM ET

Capping off their regular season-ending series against Wake Forest, the Louisville baseball program was able to stave off a sweep, capturing the regular season finale 14-9 on Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

The No. 21 Cardinals (35-20, 15-15 ACC) snap a five-game losing streak with the victory over the Demon Deacons (36-19, 16-14 ACC), which had been their longest since 2023. They also avoid getting swept in an ACC series for the first time since at North Carolina in May of last season, and their first time at home since against Miami in May of 2021.

The Cardinals had an explosive day at the plate, launching three home runs on the afternoon. Eddie King Jr. (3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB) hit two of them for his third career multi-homer day, while Tague Davis (1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB) hit his team-best 18th of season

Kamau Neighbors (2-2, 2 RBI, 2 BB) and Zion Rose (2-5, 2 RBI) both had multi-RBI days as well; with Collin Mowry (0-1, RBI, SF), Jake Munroe (1-5, RBI) and Tagger Tyson (0-2, RBI) driving in runs as well. Lucas Moore (4-6, RBI) also posted his fourth four-hit day of the season.

Louisville was also greatly assisted by shoddy defense from Wake Forest, as four of the Cardinals' runs came as a direct result of five defensive errors. Collectively with the production at the plate, it helped them score in every inning of the contest.

Louisville also got a return-to-form outing from Patrick Forbes (5.0 IP, 7 K, 2 BB, 3 H, 3 ER). The right-hander took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, struck out his most batters since fanning a career-high 13 back on Mar. 28 vs. Cal.

Louisville's first five runs in the game were all brought in off of home runs. King got the scoring started with a 423-foot, two-run blast in the first, Davis sent a solo shot 400 feet in the second, then King did it again in the third with a 380-foot solo homer.

Wake Forest finally got on the scoreboard in the middle innings, but the Cardinals were able to keep pace. Forbes allowed an RBI single in the fourth, but that was answered by sacrifice fly from Mowry in the bottom of the frame. The Deacs struck a two-run blast in the fifth, then King immediately got a run back thanks to a throwing error in the latter half of that frame.

That being said, Wake was able to close the gap in the sixth. Eli Hoyt (0.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 H, 4 ER) took over after Forbes' day was done, then promptly gave up a two-run blast and loaded the bases with no outs before getting pulled. Colton Hartman (1.0 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, 1 H) was able to get UofL out of the frame, but not before issuing a bases loaded walk and game-tying sac fly.

Fortunately for Louisville, the game didn't remain tied for long. Munroe collected a go-ahead groundout RBI in the sixth, then after Jack Brown twirled a scoreless seventh for their first zero since the third, the Cards put up a two-spot in the bottom of the frame. Neighbors hit an RBI single, then Davis scored on a throwing error.

Additionally, Jack Brown (2.0 IP, 2 K, 5 H, 2 ER) was able to give the bullpen some stability. He put up zeroes in the seventh and eighth innings, giving UofL their first scoreless frame since the third.

While blown leads have happened with regularity this season, Louisville was able to close out strong. They put up a four-spot in the eighth, with Rose collecting an RBI single, Neighbors drawing a bases loaded walk, and both Tyson and Moore driving in runs on fielder's choices.

Brown did allow three straight hits to open up the ninth, the latter of which was an RBI double that resulted in him getting yanked. Fortunately, Justin West (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 H) made sure a full-blown comeback did not take place, allowing only an RBI groundout.

Next up for Louisville, they'll head down to Durham, N.C. for the ACC Baseball Championship. Seeding, along with date and television designation, will be announced later this evening.