Bennett Shines in Victorious Doubleheader Opener at Tech

Saturday, April 14

Blacksburg, VA

1:00 PM

University of Louisville

23-11, 8-9

Virginia Tech

15-19, 6-11

Louisville

Virginia Tech

Nick Bennett moved to 4-0 on the season with Saturday's strong outing at Virginia Tech.

Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics

Bennett Shines in Victorious Doubleheader Opener at Tech

April 14, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Sophomore lefthander has seven strikeouts without allowing earned run in career-best eight innings

By: Garett Wall

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Lefthander Nick Bennett twirled eight dominant innings and three different Cardinals drove in runs as the No. 21 Louisville baseball team registered a 3-1 win over Virginia Tech in game one of Saturday's day-night doubleheader at English Field at Union Park.

The eight innings were a career long for Bennett, who had seven strikeouts and allowed only three hits and one unearned run to improve to 4-0 on the season. Prior to Saturday's performance, Bennett's longest collegiate outing was seven innings, achieved twice including earlier this season in a win at Florida State. In his four starts this season, the sophomore has a 1.03 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 26.0 innings pitched for the Cardinals (23-11, 8-9 ACC), who clinched the weekend series with Saturday's victory.

For the second straight game, righthander Sam Bordner closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth inning for his 10th save of the season. The 10 saves rank as the eighth most in a season in school history for Bordner, who also ranks ninth in career saves with 14.

At the plate, Zeke Pinkham, Danny Oriente and Lucas Dunn drove in runs for the Cardinals, who finished with a 6-3 edge in hits. Making his first start of the season, Pinkham was 1-for-3 to go with his RBI, while Oriente singled and had one stolen base in addition to his RBI. Josh Stowers singled, stole two bases and scored once, and Logan Wyatt doubled and scored once.

The Cardinals opened the scoring with an unearned run in the third inning on a RBI groundout by Dunn. Ethan Stringer started the inning by reaching base and advancing to second on a throwing error by Tech third baseman Sam Fragale. After moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Pinkham, Stringer scored on Dunn's groundball to the shortstop.

Louisville added its second run of the game in the top of the fifth inning after Stowers scored from second on Pinkham's RBI single. Stowers started the inning with a single to left field and swiped second with a stolen base before scoring on Pinkham's base hit to right field.

The Hokies (15-19, 6-11 ACC) broke through with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning on JD Mundy's RBI sacrifice fly to center field to send Nick Owens home. Owens reached base with a one-out single and moved to third on a throwing error by Bennett on a pickoff attempt at first base.

The Cardinals plated an insurance run in the ninth inning on a RBI single by Oriente to score Wyatt, who doubled to start the inning. After moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Stowers, Wyatt scored on Oriente's base hit to right field.

Game two of the doubleheader and the series finale for the Cardinals and Hokies is set to begin at 7 p.m., ET.

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