Ellis Homers Twice as No. 2 Cardinals Drop Opener to Duke

Friday, April 21

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

31-6, 15-4

DUKE

21-19, 8-11

Duke

Louisville

Drew Ellis connects for one of his two home runs in Friday's loss to Duke.

Photo by: Mike DeZarn

Ellis Homers Twice as No. 2 Cardinals Drop Opener to Duke

April 21, 2017 | Baseball

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Louisville suffers second home loss of the season despite Ellis’ first career two-homer game

By: Garett Wall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Drew Ellis hit two home runs and finished with three RBI but it was not enough as the No. 2 Louisville baseball team suffered a 5-3 loss to Duke in Friday's series-opener at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Ellis was 2-for-4 overall while connecting for a pair of home runs in a game for the first time in his career on an otherwise tough afternoon for the Cardinals (31-6, 15-4 ACC), who suffered just their second home loss of the season (21-2). Along with his first ever multiple home run outing, Ellis also homered in the third straight game taking his team-leading total to nine.

The Blue Devils, who scored the first three runs of the game and never trailed, were paced by Griffin Conine, who was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and Jimmy Herron, who finished 2-of-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. On the mound, Duke's Mitch Stallings earned the win and moved to 4-3 on the season after allowing three runs on four hits and four walks in seven innings, while Jack Labosky worked two scoreless innings of relief for his fifth save. Louisville's Brendan McKay had an uncharacteristic outing as the junior lefty surrendered a career-high five runs on six hits and struck out seven to drop to 5-3 on the season.

The Blue Devils struck first Friday plating a run in the first inning when Herron scored from third a double steal with Labosky, who took off from first and was in a rundown before escaping and returning to first as Herron reached home. Duke pushed the lead to 3-0 in the second inning as Chris Proctor delivered a two-out RBI triple down the right field line and Herron added a RBI single through the left side.

The Cardinals broke through against Stallings in the fourth inning when Ellis connected for the first of his two home runs sending a two-run shot out to left field. Following a one-out walk to Brendan McKay, Ellis turned on 2-1 pitch to narrow the margin to 3-2.

Duke answered with its own two-run homer in the fifth inning when Conine hit a two-out shot to right field to score Herron, who coaxed a walk earlier in the inning. Louisville cut the deficit to 5-3 in the sixth inning after Ellis launched a 1-0 offering onto the left field berm for a solo home run.

However, that was as close as the Cardinals would get as they managed just one baserunner in the final three innings of the game.

Friday's game was intended to be the first game of a doubleheader, but game two of the series was never started as rain arrived earlier than previously expected. The No. 2 Cardinals will look to even the series against the Blue Devils on Saturday at 4 p.m., ET. The game time for Saturday was adjusted due to rain moving through the area.

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