Louisville Mounts Comeback to Take Down Bellarmine

Returning home to Jim Patterson Stadium following a seven-game road trip, the Louisville baseball program took on crosstown foe Bellarmine for their last midweek game of the regular season, and overcame a very slow start to capture a 14-7 victory on Tuesday.

The Cardinals (28-25, 11-16 ACC) finish with a 9-5 record in midweek games this season, and have won eight of their nine meetings with the Knights (19-31, 11-16 ASUN) since resuming their series in 2021.

Second baseman Kade Elam (2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB) had the first multi-home run game of his career, while first baseman Tague Davis (2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 IBB) went yard as well to extend his single-season total to 34. Outfielders Lucas Moore (1-2, 2 RBI, BB) and Zion Rose (2-4, 2 RBI, BB, SF) joined the aforementioned two in driving in multiple runs.

Shortstop Alex Alicea (2-5), outfielder Griffin Crain (3-5, RBI, 2B, BB), DH Ben Slanker (2-5, RBI, 2B) and catcher Jimmy Nugent (2-5, 2 2B) were part of the seven Cardinals to have a multi-hit game. Louisville as a team collected 16 base hits and produced 24 base runners.

Louisville was put on the ropes immediately, as Bellarmine shot out of a cannon to start the game and plated the first six runs of the evening - all in the first two innings.

Right-hander Zane Stahl (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 3 H, 3 ER) allowed an RBI double and two-run single in the opening frame, leading to his early hook after the inning ended. Left-hander Nicholas Ballard (0.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 ER) was tasked with pitching the second, but pulled after walking the first two batters he faced. Righty Jake Schweitzer (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 H, 1 ER) was inserted, and he gave up a pair of RBI groundouts plus a sacrifice fly.

Following this opening salvo, the Cardinals responded with a resounding counter punch, plating nine runs in a two-inning span themselves.

After Elam smashed a 395-foot, two-run home in the second to get UofL on the board, that was then followed up by a seven-spot in the third inning. Davis hit a 395-foot, two-run homer; Crain, Rose and Slanker all hit RBI singles; while Nugent and Moore both scored on wild pitches.

The scoring slowed down through the middle innings, but Louisville's bullpen was able to bounce back, posting five straight scoreless frames. Anthony Karbowski (1.0 IP) twirled a perfect third, Eli Hoyt (1.0 IP, 2 K, 2 BB, 1 H) pitched the fourth, T.J. Schlageter (1.0 IP, 1 K) had a perfect frame in the fifth, Jake Gregor (1.0 IP, 2 K, 1 BB) went unblemished in the sixth, while Casen Murphy (1.0 IP, 1 H) did so in the seventh.

Down the stretch, Louisville got a handful of insurance runs. third baseman Bayram Hot (0-3, RBI, BB, SF) collected a sacrifice fly in the sixth, then in the seventh, Elam blasted a 365-foot solo shot and Moore struck a two-run single.

The bullpen bent a little in the later stages, but did not completely break. Jake Bean (0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER) was tasked with pitching the eight, but was pulled in favor of Tanner Thomas (1.2 IP, 1 H) after allowing a groundout RBI. Thomas then went out and put up a zero in the ninth to end the game.

Next up for Louisville, they'll stay at home and host Virginia for their final series of the regular season. First pitch of game one is slated for Thursday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.