No. 4 Baseball Drops Series Finale at Wake Forest, 6-3

Sunday, March 18

Winston-Salem, NC

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

16-4, 3-3

Wake Forest

9-11, 4-2

Louisville

Wake Forest

Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics

No. 4 Baseball Drops Series Finale at Wake Forest, 6-3

March 18, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Snider finishes 2-for-4 with a double and two runs; Martin twirls 3.0 innings of shutout relief

By: Garett Wall

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The No. 4 Louisville baseball team suffered its first series loss of the season dropping a 6-3 decision to Wake Forest in the deciding game of the weekend set on Sunday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark.

After bouncing back from Friday's 2-1 loss in the series-opener with an 11-6 victory on Saturday, the Cardinals (16-4, 3-3 ACC) were unable to overcome an early four-run deficit in Sunday's finale. The result marked just the fifth series loss for Louisville in its 32 ACC series since joining the conference in 2015.

Sophomore Jake Snider paced the Cardinals offensively on Sunday finishing 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while junior Devin Mann was 2-of-4 with a RBI triple. Sophomore Danny Oriente chipped in with a single, one RBI and scored once. On the mound, senior lefthander Rabon Martin twirled 3.0 innings of shutout relief with one strikeout and just one hit, and freshman righty Bobby Miller added 2.1 innings of scoreless work out of the bullpen.

For the second straight day, the Demon Deacons (9-11, 4-2 ACC) erupted for four runs in the first inning. DJ Poteet led off with a walk, Nick DiPonzio followed with a single and Jake Mueller was hit by a pitch before Johnny Aiello drove a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left center for a grand slam and his fourth home run of the season.

The Cardinals broke through for their first run of the game in the fourth inning after Snider scored from third on Oriente's RBI groundball. Snider led off the inning with a double to left field and moved to third on a single by Mann before scoring on the fourth RBI of the season for Oriente.

Wake Forest added to its lead with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. After a passed ball allowed Chase Mascolo to score from third, Mueller connected on a RBI single to right to send Poteet home for the second run and a 6-1 advantage.

Louisville narrowed the deficit with a run in the seventh inning on a RBI groundout by sophomore Justin Lavey to score Oriente, who singled earlier in the frame and moved to third on a double by sophomore Logan Wyatt. The Cardinals cut the margin to the final 6-3 deficit with a run in the eighth inning on a RBI triple by Mann to score Snider, who singled earlier in the inning.

Up next, Louisville remains on the road with a midweek game against Western Kentucky on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., ET at Bowling Green Ballpark, the downtown home of the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

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

2018 LOUISVILLE BASEBALL TICKETS
Season ticket packages as well as single game tickets for the 2018 University of Louisville baseball season are on sale now and can be purchased online at GoCards.com/bsbtickets, by phone at 502-GO-CARDS or by visiting the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office, located near Gate 2 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (2800 South Floyd Street) on weekdays from 9 a.m., until 5 p.m., ET.