Louisville baseball stifles EKU, extends win streak to 2

Head Coach Dan McDonnell got his team off to a hot start this season with five straight wins before their first loss to the Bowling Green State University Falcons, 9-6. The Louisville baseball team bounced back quickly from that loss, almost as if they were angry their undefeated status was taken away so early. Over the next two games, the Cardinals put up 25 runs to their opponents’ one.

Following the loss, Louisville closed out the series with Bowling Green with a 14-1 thwomping. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Carson Liggett got the start against the Falcons and finished the game with 5.2 innings pitched, four hits allowed, one earned run, and six strikeouts. With over five innings pitched, Liggett qualified for the win and his teammates overwhelmed the Bowling Green pitching staff all game long.

First baseman Ryan McCoy opened up the scoring with a home run in the first inning as only the third batter in the lineup to face Bowling Green’s Peyton Wilson. Third baseman Logan Beard treaded on the heels of McCoy with a double to right field, which brought home designated hitter Patrick Forbes.

Then, Logan Beard came home off of a throwing error, making the score 3-0 with just a handful of outs into the game. Bowling Green would score their only run of the game in the third inning and for the rest of the game the Cardinals had a stranglehold on the Falcons.

Bowling Green could not get anything going offensively and Louisville went on to score 10 more runs to end the game 14-1.

Just two days later, Louisville baseball suited up to take on Eastern Kentucky University for their eighth straight home game. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Kade Grundy got the starting nod and would finish the game with three innings pitched, no hits allowed, no runs allowed, and two strikeouts.

Designated hitter Patrick Forbes opened up the scorecard with a home run in the second inning which marked his first career collegiate home run. The freshman from Bowling Green, Kentucky joined the Cardinals this past offseason and is already making an impact on the scoreboard.

Two innings later, Forbes smashed another home run and helped fuel the virtually unstoppable Louisville offense all game long. The Colonels did not record a single run all game, while Louisville took advantage of their pitching staff in dominant fashion.

In the third inning, number two in the lineup Jack Payton demolished the baseball for a three-run home run giving the Cardinals a 4-0 lead. The three home runs in the first four innings opened the floodgates for the rest of the team and Louisville’s offense could do no wrong. The game ended with an 11-0 shutout by the Cardinals, which was good enough to give them a 7-1 record.

Next up for Dan McDonnell and company is Texas A&M in Texas; their first matchup outside of Louisville all season. The game is a part of the 2023 Shriners Children’s College Classic, which is held on March 3rd and 4th.