Louisville Stumbles vs. Virginia Tech to Even Series

W: Brady Kirtner (2-0), L: Evan Webster (2-1)

 One day removed from taking down Virginia Tech in their first ACC game of the season, the Louisville baseball program couldn't follow that up with a series-clinching win, falling 12-6 on Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

It's the first loss in ACC play for the Cardinals (13-6, 1-1 ACC) after they won 9-6 in the opener, and the three-game series between them and the Hokies (13-4, 4-1 ACC) now heads to the rubber match.

Louisville's pitching staff put together their worst performance of the young season. Not only did the Cardinals give up a season-high in both hits and earned runs at 18 and 11, respectively, it was their most overall runs surrendered since giving up 15 to Virginia on May 13, 2023.

The loss came in spite of a great performance at the plate from Gavin Kilen (4-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B) who managed to hit for the cycle. It was the first time a Louisville player hit for the cycle since Alex Binelas did so against Alabama A&M on Apr. 29, 2019.

Matt Klein (2-4, HR, RBI, 2B) and Eddie King Jr. (2-4, HR, RBI, 2B, BB) also had home runs and multi-hit days, while Kilen and J.T Benson (1-4, 2 RBI, BB) drove in multiple runs. However, as a whole, Louisville hit just 2-for-11 with two outs and 2-for-21 with runners on base.

Evan Webster (4.0 IP, 3 K, 8 H, 5 ER) has had an efficient start to his 2024 campaign, but he ran into his first speed bump of the season against Virginia Tech. He gave up a two-run home run in the opening frame of the game, then in the fourth inning, he surrendered a sacrifice fly and another two-run homer.

After a quiet first few innings at the plate, Louisville's bats finally woke up in the fourth inning with a four-spot. Klein and Kilen led off the frame with back-to-back home runs, going 407-feet and 415-feet respectively, then Benson hit a clutch two-out, two-run single to get within a run.

The Hokies countered in the very next inning with a four-spot of their own in the top of the fifth. Parker Detmers (0.2 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 4 H, 3 ER) was inserted to pitch the frame, but after giving up three RBI singles, he was pulled in favor Kayden Campbell (0.1 IP, 1 BB). VT also brought home a run under his watch in the inning, doing so on a throwing error.

Kilen collected an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth, but then the Hokies compounded their lead in the sixth with three more runs. Kade Grundy (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) gave up a leadoff homer, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly in his lone inning of relief.

Jared Lessman (3.0 IP, 3 K, 1 BB, 2 H) gave Louisville some stability on the mound to close the game with a trio of scoreless innings, but their bats couldn't put together the run necessary to mount a comeback. The only offense that the Cardinals could muster in the late innings was a 442-foot solo homer to dead center by King in seventh.

Next up for Louisville, they'll try to clinch the series against Virginia Tech in their series finale. First pitch is slated for Sunday, Mar. 17 at 12:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on the ACC Network and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.