Louisville Drops ACC Opener vs. Notre Dame

Hosting Notre Dame for a weekend series to kick off Atlantic Coast Conference play, the Louisville baseball program got the three-game series started off on the wrong foot, falling 14-11 in the opener on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

The Cardinals (12-6, 0-1 ACC) not only suffer their first loss in an ACC opener since joining the conference, their 15-game home winning streak against the Fighting Irish (11-4, 3-1 ACC) is snapped as well. Louisville had also entered the matchup having won nine of their last 10.

As evidenced by the final score, Louisville's pitching staff struggled big time. Notre Dame collected 14 base hits, drew 10 walks against 10 strikeouts, and hit two home runs - both of which were grand slams. It negated a good night at the plate by the Cardinals, as they amassed 14 hits and four walks - albeit with n10ne strikeouts.

Designated hitter Zion Rose (4-6, HR, 5 RBI) and first baseman Tague Davis (2-6, 2 RBI) led the way for Louisville, with both players driving in multiple runs and Rose hitting his second home run of the year. Second baseman Kade Elam (2-5, RBI, 2B), third baseman Bayram Hot (2-4, 2 2B) and outfielder Lucas Moore (2-4, 2B, 2 BB) also had multi-hit days as well.

Moore got the scoring started in the opening frame, scampering home from third on a dropped strike three. Then in the third, Louisville started to put some distance between them and Notre Dame with a five-spot.

Rose collected an RBI single, Davis sent a pair of runner home on a single of his own, outfielder Griffin Crain (1-4, RBI, BB) laid down a bunt single that drove in a run, and then fellow outfielder Ben Slanker (0-3, RBI) collected an RBI on a bases loaded groundout.

Ethan Eberle (3.0 IP, 2 K, 2 BB, 7 H, 5 ER) got the start on the bump for the Cardinals, and was cruising early. While couple errors in the field didn't help his cause, the left-hander still posted zeroes in the first three innings of the evening.

But in the fourth, the Irish finally woke up, taking the lead by storm with a 10-spot - plating every run with no outs.

Eberle gave up three straight singles with no outs, which then turned into a bases loaded walk and a grand slam, leading to his early hook. Brannon Shannon (0.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 ER) was inserted, but the right-hander was then pulled after walking the first two batters he faced. Righty Casen Murphy (2.0 IP, 3 K, 2 BB, 2 H, 4 ER) then took over, loading the bases with an HBP, then giving up a bases loaded walk and grand slam himself.

Murphy was able to not only finish the frame without any additional damage, but then go on to pitch a scoreless fifth. He would get the hook after walking the first two batters of the sixth, but fellow right-hander Jack Brown (3.0 IP, 4 K, 3 BB, 3 H, 1 ER) was able to minimize the damage by allowing just an RBI groundout in the frame. Although he would go on to give up an RBI double in the seventh and an RBI single in the eighth.

Right-hander Tanner Thomas (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 H, 1 ER) was tasked with tossing the ninth, and he even allowed run on a wild pitch, marking the fourth-straight inning in which the Irish plated a run.

Additionally, at the plate, the Cardinals fell well short in attempting to mount a comeback. Rose hit a 389-foot two-run homer in the fourth, but the Cardinals then went fourth straight innings without a run. In the ninth, Elam added an RBI single while Rose hit a two-run double, but that was all the scoring done in the final frame.

Next up for Louisville, they'll continue their weekend series against Notre Dame with game two. First pitch is slated for Saturday, Mar. 14 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on the ACC Network and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.