Louisville Explodes in Fifth, Run-Rules Arizona

The Cardinals also allowed only one base hit by the Wildcats.

Feb 14, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns versus the Louisville Cardinals during the Shriner's Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Texas. - On the heels of suffering their first loss of the year, the Louisville baseball program was able to conclude their season-opening weekend on a high note, earning another ranked win with a 13-1 eight-inning run-rule of Arizona on Sunday at Globe Life Field.

The Cardinals wrap up the Shriners Children's College Classic with a 2-1 mark in the event. They walked off No. 7 Texas, 4-3, in extra innings on Friday for their season-opener, before getting routed, 12-3, by No. 13 Oklahoma State last night.

After getting off to a bit of a slow start offensively against No. 12 Arizona (0-3), Louisville exploded for an eight-run fifth inning, and never looked back. Seven of their 17 base hits for the game came in this inning.

Eddie King Jr. (3-5, 3 RBI, 3B). Matt Klein (3-5, 2 RBI), Jake Munroe (2-5, 2 RBI) and Garret Pike (2-5, 2 RBI) all drove in multiple runs and had multi-hit days.

Zion Rose (3-5) joined King and Klein in posting a three-hit day, while Lucas Moore (2-4, RBI, BB), Alex Alicea (0-5, RBI. BB) and George Baker (1-1, RBI) all drove in runs as well.

Like Patrick Forbes on Opening Day, right-hander Peter Michael (4.2 IP, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 H, 1 ER) put together a fantastic start for the Cardinals in the final game of opening weekend.

While he gave up a solo home run to Mason White just three batters into the game, he allowed only three walks in his 15 batters faced after that, and set a new career-high in strikeouts. This wound up being the only hit surrendered by the Cards' pitching staff.

Also like in the opener, Louisville's production at the plate was extremely quiet right out of the gates. In his four-inning start, Arizona righty Smith Bailey struck out five Cardinals, and only gave up three hits.

Smith was taken out and replaced by fellow righty Michael Hilker Jr. to start the fifth, and Louisville jumped all over him. After Tague Davis (0-3, BB) scored UofL's first run on a two-out throwing error, Moore, Klein, Munroe and Pike all struck RBI singles, then an RBI triple from King knocked Hilker out of the game.

Three batters later, the latter of which was a bases loaded walk from Alicea, the Cardinals also forced out lefty reliever Eric Orloff, with righty Tony Pluta being the one to finally end the fifth inning onslaught.

After Michael issued a pair of two-out walks in the bottom of the fifth, his day came to an end, and he was replaced by Colton Hartman (1.1 IP, 2 K, 1 BB). While the lefty did issue a walk to briefly load the bases, a subsequent groundout prevented the spark for a potential Arizona rally.

Wildcats right-hander Julian Tonghini kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh, but when switch-pitcher Mason Russell took over in the eighth, they got back to work.

Klein, Munroe and Pike collected three straight one-out RBI singles, driving Russell out of the game. Even when righty Hunter Alberini came in, King and a pinch-hitting Baker delivered RBI singles of their own to cap off an eighth-inning five-spot.

Additionally, the Louisville relievers ensured they would coast to vistory. Hartman tossed a perfect sixth, right-hander Brennyn Cutts (1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB) threw a scoreless seventh, then fellow righty Wyatt Danilowicz (1.0 IP, 1 K) closed the door with a perfect eighth.

Next up for Louisville, they'll face Xavier in their first home game of the 2025 season. First pitch is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 970 WGTK.

(Photo via Chris Jones - Imagn Images)

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