4/19/2022 baseball Edit

Cards top Cats

Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell. (AP)

Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated

Managing Editor

Joined the Cats Illustrated staff in the summer of 2017. Veteran reporter and photographer who has covered UK sports dating back to 1987.

Louisville made the most of the key moments in Tuesday's clash with rival Kentucky.

The No. 13 Cardinals got a home run from Cameron Masterman, saw centerfielder Levi Usher take away a potential three-run homer by the Wildcats' Ryan Ritter, and came up with a handful of big strikeouts to end UK's main scoring threats in a 4-2 victory at Patterson Stadium.

Louisville (25-11, 9-6 ACC) got a strong "committee" pitching effort which included eight different hurlers combining to shut down the UK bats.

Kentucky loaded the bases in the sixth inning but came away with only one run as Ryan Hawks came up with a pair of big strikeouts. And with the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning, Louisville closer Michael Prosecky struck out UK slugger Jacob Plastiak to end the threat.

The Cats got the tying run to the plate again in the ninth against Prosecky, but the lefty closer escaped the jam with only one run scoring to record his seventh save of the season.

Kyle Walter (2-0) started for UofL and was credited with the win despite working only the scoreless first inning.

Kentucky (21-16, 5-10 SEC) also got a solid pitching effort from its mid-week "committee," holding the Cards to only four hits. But the Cats' staff was hurt by five walks and three hit batsmen. Starter Seth Logue (1-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on one hit, one walk, and two hit batsmen.

Designated hitter Jack Payton struck the decisive blow for Louisville, lining a two-out, two-run single to left field in the third inning to plate the eventual winning runs against UK reliever Wyatt Hudepohl.

The Cats return home to Kentucky Proud Park to face Vanderbilt in a three-game weekend series.

NOTES:

* UK has scored in 280 of 283 games in coach Nick Mingione’s tenure.

* The Cats have scored in 43 consecutive games.

* UK is 16-6 in non-conference games this season and 107-36 in the Mingione era.

* UK is 45-of-50 on stolen base attempts this season.The UK pitchers have struck out 387 in 37 games.

* Junior INF Chase Estep has reached base safely in 35 of 37 games this season. He has a hit in 29 of the last 35 games.

* Senior IF Jacob Plastiak went 2-for-3 with a SAC fly. He has 12 multi-hit games this season and 15 in his career.

* Sophomore IF Reuben Church has reached in nine straight games.