The University of Louisville baseball team defeated Clemson 11-6 on April 25 at Jim Patterson Stadium, securing the win with a five-run eighth inning.
The game was tied at six before Louisville scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to take control. The victory brings Louisville’s record to 25-18 overall and 9-11 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while Clemson falls to 26-18 overall and 6-14 in conference games.
Clemson took an early lead with two home runs in the first inning, scoring three runs. However, Louisville pitcher Ethan Eberle responded by delivering five consecutive shutout innings after the opening frame. Offensively, Ben Slanker drove in Jimmy Nugent for Louisville’s first run in the second inning. Nugent then hit a solo home run to start the fourth, followed by a misplayed flyball from Lucas Moore that allowed two more Cardinals to score and give them a one-run lead.
Alex Alicea and Zion Rose added run-scoring singles in the sixth inning as Louisville extended its advantage. After Eberle left the game, Clemson rallied for three runs in the seventh to tie it up. Jack Brown pitched two scoreless innings out of relief for Louisville and earned his fourth win of the season.
In their decisive eighth-inning surge, Alicea and Moore walked before Rose singled home Alicea for what proved to be the winning run. Bayram Hot and Nugent contributed additional RBIs during that rally, which included four walks drawn by Cardinals hitters. Aaron England closed out the ninth inning by striking out all three batters he faced.
Nugent led all players with three hits on four at-bats as part of a total of thirteen hits for Louisville; Rose, Slanker, and Kade Elam each had two hits apiece. The teams are scheduled to conclude their series on Sunday afternoon.
