No. 7 Louisville Walks Off Ole Miss in Midweek Opener

Tuesday, March 12

LOUISVILLE, KY

4:00 PM

University of Louisville

12-4

Ole Miss

12-4

Ole Miss

Louisville

Photo by: Jermaine Bibb | Louisville Athletics

March 12, 2019 | Baseball

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The Cardinals won the first of two games against Ole Miss 4-3 in extra innings on Tuesday.

By: Stephen Williams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a battle of top-10 programs, the seventh-ranked Louisville baseball team walked off with a 4-3 victory in 10 innings over Ole Miss Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

With one out in the 10^th, Jake Snider drove a deep fly to the wall in left-centerfield for a triple that put the potential winning run just 90 feet away. The Rebels then intentionally walked Tyler Fitzgerald and Logan Wyatt to load the bases for pinch hitter Zach Britton. The sophomore lined the second pitch of the at bat into right field, sending the Cardinals home with a victory.

Michael McAvene (1-0) tallied his second career victory, as he picked up the final out of the ninth and tossed a scoreless 10^th. Michael Kirian recorded 1.2 scoreless innings and Garrett Schmeltz retired the only two batters he faced in the ninth.

Louisville starting pitcher Luke Smith blanked Ole Miss through the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Smith finished with three runs allowed on six hits over a season-best 6.1 innings.

The afternoon started strong for Louisville (12-4), as Ethan Stringer took away extra bases with a catch at the wall to end the top of the first inning. Snider then led off the bottom half with a single and Fitzgerald promptly deposited the second pitch he saw over the left field wall to give the Cardinals an early 2-0 edge.

Smith stranded a pair of runners with a strikeout in the second and then settled in with perfect third and fourth innings.

The Cardinals got back on the board in fifth following a Justin Lavey leadoff single. The junior then stole second and moved to third on Snider's groundout. With two away, Fitzgerald dropped down a perfect bunt on the third base line for a single that stretched the lead out to three.

Smith worked a perfect sixth, but the Ole Miss (12-4) offense finally awoke in the seventh. Four straight hits to start the frame tied the game at three, but Kirian entered and immediately put out the rally.

Neither offense threatened over the next two innings, setting up the dramatics in the Cardinals' half of the 10^th.

Snider and Fitzgerald each had a pair of hits on the day to lead UofL. Snider scored twice, while Fitzgerald drove in three of the four runs.

Louisville and Ole Miss will finish off their midweek series on Wednesday at noon ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. Wednesday is Elementary School Day at the ballpark with free admission for all fans.