Louisville Races Past Oakland in Late Night Midweek Showdown

Playing in their second of two midweek games this week, the Louisville baseball program put together another dominating performance, blasting Oakland 13-5 on Wednesday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Like in their first midweek game this week, the No. 25 Cardinals (14-2) had an explosive day at the plate, collecting 16 base hits and seven extra base hits. The majority of this damage came in the sixth, when they plated seven runs on eight hits.

On the mound, UofL wasn't as effective against the Golden Grizzlies (3-15) as they were the day before in their 13-0 win vs. Lipscomb. They gave up 11 hits, but still managed to strike out seven batters.

Jake Munroe (4-5, HR, 4 RBI, 3B) came a double short of hitting for the cycle, setting a career-high in RBIs in the process. Tague Davis (1-5, HR, 2 RBI) and George Baker (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) joined Munroe in going yard, with the latter hitting the first of his collegiate career.

Additionally, Garret Pike (4-4, 3 2B) joined Munroe in having a four-hit day, and became the first Cardinal to hit three doubles in a game since Gavin Kilen did so on Mar. 6, 2024 vs. Morehead State. Matt Klein (1-4, 2 RBI) and Zion Rose (1-3, 2 RBI, BB) were two of the four Cards to drive in multiple runs.

Making his first career collegiate start, left-hander Jared Lessman (2.0 IP, 2 K, 2 BB, 2 H) tried to help Louisville set the tone on the mound, tossing two scoreless frames to begin the game. But after he left the game, Oakland started to have some success at the plate.

Right-hander Kian Vorster (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 HBP, 1 ER) was inserted to start the third, but after allowing a two-out RBI double for the first score of the game, lefty Aaron England (0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER) had to come in and get the final out of the frame.

After a quiet start, Louisville's bats woke up in the third, putting up a trio of runs in the frame to take the lead. Baker hit a 421-foot solo homer to left-center, Klein drove in a run on a groundout, and Munroe collected an RBI single.

However, the Golden Grizzlies also had a response, jumping right back in front with a fourth inning four-spot. England was pulled after allowing a sacrifice fly, with a run coming in on a wild pitch and two more scampering home on a double - both under the watch of southpaw T.J. Schlageter (1.2 IP, 2 K, 3 H, 1 ER).

Louisville's collective pitching effort then rebounded significantly, allowing only two base runners in the final five innings. Schlageter would go on to pitch a scoreless fifth, as would right-hander Jake Gregor (1.0 IP, 1 K) in the sixth, left-hander Colton Hartman (1.0 IP, 1 K) in the seventh, righty Alex Gay (1.0 IP) in the eighth and southpaw Casen Murphy (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 H) in the ninth to shut the door.

This allowed the Cardinals to be able to mount a rally behind some explosive offense in the middle innings. Munroe hit an RBI triple in the fifth, then in the sixth, UofL rallied past Oakland and then some.

Baker drove in a run on a groundout, then the following occurred with two outs: Rose and Klein RBI singles, a 39-2-foot, two-run homer by Munroe, then a 376-foot solo shot from Davis to go back-to-back.

Louisville added insult to injury in the eighth with a pair of insurance runs. Davis drove in one on a groundout, then a pinch-hitting Michael Lippe (1-1, RBI) added an RBI single.

Next up for Louisville, they'll kick off ACC play and host North Carolina for a three-game series. First pitch of game one is slated for Friday, Mar. 12 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.

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