Early Innings Pace No. 6 Louisville to 9-6 Win

Box Score | Photos | Notes

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The
sixth-ranked Louisville Cardinals plated seven runs in the first five innings
to build an early lead and post a 9-6 win over No. 9 Kentucky, on a gorgeous
Wednesday night, in front of a season-high 3,511 at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Kentucky (22-10)
suffered the loss to the Cardinals, as UofL built an early lead with a run in the
first and after UK committed a pair of errors on tailor-made double-play balls,
scored three unearned runs in the third inning for an insurmountable lead. UofL
added three in the fifth inning, with UK rallying with a pair of runs in the
bottom half of the frame and added a run in the sixth.

The Wildcats
mounted a rally in the eighth inning, plating three to cut the UofL lead to
7-6, with Dorian Hairston belting a two-out, two-run homer. The first two
hitters reached to open the ninth, scoring on a pinch-hit single from Colin
Lyman for the final margin.

UK starter Zach
Logue (1-1) worked a pre-determined three innings, allowing four hits and four
runs – one earned – walking one and striking out three. Senior southpaw Dylan
Dwyer took over in the fourth, working 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and three
runs, walking two and striking out two. Bo Wilson came on and allowed a pair of
hits in the fifth, before Brad Schaenzer entered in relief. Schaenzer got four
outs, allowing just a single. Zach Pop took over with two outs in the sixth
inning, working 1.1 perfect innings, striking out two. Lefty Logan Salow came
on to start the eighth inning, working one inning and allowing a pair of runs
to score. Justin Lewis got the final three outs.

Eight of nine
Kentucky starters collected hits in the game, including Luke Becker, Riley
Mahan, Gunnar McNeill, Troy Squires, Zack Reks and Storm Wilson collecting
knocks. White, Becker and Mahan each had two-hit days. Hairston hit his third
home run of the year, a two-out blast in the eighth inning.

Louisville (26-7)
starter Kade McClure (7-0) earned his seventh win in as many starts. McClure
worked six strong innings, allowing three runs – two earned, walking one and striking
out five. UofL also used Sam Bordner and Adam Wolf in relief, before Zack Burdi
took over the get the final four outs of the game for his fourth save of the year.

The Wildcats will return to action on
Friday, traveling to face No. 4 Vanderbilt in a three-game series, starting on
Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the
top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Devin Mann drew a two-out,
five-pitch walk, scoring on a double from Brendan McKay, lifted down the
leftfield line.

In the top of the third inning, Louisville
rallied to stretch its lead. Colby pitch was hit by a pitch to open the frame
and after a strikeout, McKay chopped the ball to the right side, with it going
as an error. Logue then got Hairston to chop into a grounder up the middle,
with the ball also misplayed for an error, loading the bases with one out.
Logue responded with a strikeout for the second out, but plunked Will Smith
with a three-ball offering to force in Fitch. Drew Ellis then ripped a two-out,
two-RBI single into shallow leftfield, scoring a pair and stretching the UofL
lead to 4-0.

Louisville stretched its lead in the top
of the fifth inning, starting with a one-out walk from Hairston, with Blake
Tiberi following with a single and Smith loading the bases with a walk. Ellis
then drove in the trio with a bases-clearing double to great Wilson into the
game. Logan Taylor then reached on an infield single to bring in Schaenzer.

Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of
the fifth inning, cutting the lead to 7-2. Becker led off with a double to
centerfield, and Pompey singled with one out, with Becker scoring on a throwing
error and Becker moving to second. Wilson then singled up the middle to score
Pompey.

UK added a run in the bottom of the sixth
inning, with Reks reaching on a one-out single and after a walk and infield
single, scored on a wild pitch.