Two-Out Home Runs Lift Virginia Past Louisville

Friday, March 25

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

17-5, 4-3

VIRGINIA

17-6, 5-2

Virginia

Louisville

Shortstop Devin Hairston had two hits and drove in a run in Friday's loss.

March 25, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

Cardinals surrender a pair of two-out, three-run homers in their first home loss of the season

By: Garett Wall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A pair of two-out, three-run homers proved to be too much to overcome as the No. 7 Louisville baseball team suffered a 6-3 loss to No. 9 Virginia in Friday night's series-opener at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Catcher Matt Thaiss connected for the first three-run shot in the third inning and Pavin Smith added his three-spot in the seventh inning to lift the visiting Cavaliers (17-6, 5-2 ACC) to their first ever win over the Cardinals (17-5, 4-3 ACC). Louisville, which earned a three-game road sweep over Virginia last season in the only previous meetings between the schools, suffered its first home loss of the season (14-1) with Friday's result and will look to even the weekend series Saturday at 1 p.m., ET.

Junior outfielder Logan Taylor registered his second straight multi-hit performance finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base for Louisville, while junior outfielder Corey Ray added a double and two RBI. Sophomore shortstop Devin Hairston chipped in going 2-for-4 with one RBI as the Cardinals were out-hit for just the second time this season (9-6).

Louisville opened the scoring Friday when Hairston drove home sophomore first baseman Brendan McKay with a RBI single to right off Virginia righty Connor Jones. McKay led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a walk to sophomore third baseman Blake Tiberi and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from junior catcher Will Smith before Hairston delivered his 16th RBI of the season.

The Cavaliers answered in the third inning when Thaiss sent a 3-0 offering from Louisville senior righthander Kyle Funkhouser over the wall in right center for the 3-1 lead. After Adam Haseley narrowly reached base on a fielder's choice and Ernie Clement legged out an infield single with two outs in the inning, Thaiss drove them home with his fifth home run of the season.

The Cardinals cut into the deficit in the fifth inning on a RBI double to left center by Ray to score Taylor, who singled through the left side earlier in the frame. However, Virginia responded in the seventh with its second homer of the night when Smith connected on a 1-0 pitch from freshman lefty Adam Wolf to extend the lead to 6-2. Andy Weber singled through the left side to begin the inning and Clement was hit by a pitch from Funkhouser giving the Cavaliers two baserunners. Wolf entered from the bullpen to induce a flyout from Thaiss for the second out of the inning before Smith's decisive shot to right field.

Louisville edged closer in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI groundout by Ray to score Taylor, but the home club would get no closer. Jones earned the win for the Cavaliers and improved to 5-0 on the season after allowing two earned runs on five hits in 7.1 innings, while Alec Bettinger worked a scoreless ninth inning for his seventh save. Funkhouser was charged with the loss surrendering five runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings to drop to 2-2 overall.

Louisville junior second baseman Nick Solak left Friday's game in the third inning with a right hand injury, described as a "bone bruise" by head coach Dan McDonnell, which was suffered while attempting to bunt in the first inning. The Woodridge, Illinois native, who entered the day with a .461 batting average, is listed as day-to-day after x-rays on his throwing hand were negative.

Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.