Louisville opened its weekend series against Youngstown State with a dominating performance on the mound and at the plate. The Cardinals combined for 16 hits and received a 10-strikeout outing from starter Sebastian Gongora to highlight a 19-1 victory.
The win is a fifth straight for the Cardinals which improve to 5-4 overall. Youngstown State continues to seek its first win of the season, falling to 0-7.
Louisville’s offense was effective throughout scoring in six innings.
The Cardinals first three batters reached safely to load the bases for Brandon Anderson, who hit a single to center to plate the game’s first runs, while a third came home on a throwing error. A sacrifice fly by Gavin Kilen capped the opening frame.
Brandon Anderson, who entered the day hitting .538, continued his hot start to the season with a two-run home run in the second inning.
UofL pushed its lead to six runs in the third inning on RBI singles by Alex Alicea and JT Benson. Alicea came up with an even bigger knock in the fourth when he hit a ball down the left field line for a bases-loaded triple to up the advantage to nine runs.
Youngstown State put a run on the board in the fifth on a wild pitch, while the Cardinals were kept scoreless for the first time in the game.
Louisville put up its biggest inning in the sixth, moving five runs across the plate with all coming after two outs. A pair of walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for a pinch-hitting Logan Beard, who reached safely on an error while moving two runs home. Isaac Humphrey connected for a three-run home run to close the high-scoring inning.
UofL starter Sebastian Gongora picked up the win. He worked six innings, allowing one run on three hits, with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Eddie King began the eighth inning with a drive to right center that became jammed in the bottom of the wall. The Youngstown State player paused before pulling the ball from its stuck position to keep the play live allowing King to round the bases for an inside the park home run. Logan Beard added a two-run home run.
Kade Grundy threw two shutout innings, tying a career-high with five strikeouts while allowing just one hit and issuing one walk. Jared Lessman pitched the final inning, giving up a single, in a scoreless frame.
The two teams return to Jim Patterson Stadium on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1pm. Admission is free.
