University of Louisville
5-1
Bowling Green
2-3
Cards Suffer First Loss of 2023 Season
February 25, 2023 | Baseball
Louisville took a 9-6 loss to Bowling Green on Saturday.
Louisville (5-1) took a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning but surrendered four runs in the frame for the loss.
The Cardinals jumped out to an early advantage on Saturday, plating three runs just three batters into the bottom of the first. Christian Knapczyk and Jack Payton each drew walks and Ryan McCoy hit his third home run of the season to give Louisville a 3-0 edge.
Bowling Green (2-3) scratched a run across in the second, but the Cardinals responded with two more. Will Vierling doubled to the wall in right-centerfield to plate Haven Mangrum and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Payton.
The Falcons tied the game up with two runs in each of the third and fourth innings before Louisville grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the fourth as Knapczyk delivered a two-out run-scoring single.
The game remained 6-5 in Louisville's favor until the eighth, as Tucker Biven turned in excellent work out of the bullpen. The freshman worked four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
However, the Falcons sent eight men to the plate in the eighth inning and pushed four of them across to secure the victory.
All nine Louisville starters had a hit in the game, with Isaac Humphrey registering the only multi-hit performance.
Louisville and Bowling Green will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Penrod,Connar (2-0)
L: Wiegman, Ben (1-1)
S: Recker,Owen (1)
Batting:
HR: Banjoff,Leighton 1
RBI: Ross,Tyler 2 ; Fugitt,Justin 1 ; Gurney,Kyle 2 ; Banjoff,Leighton 2 ; Archer,Nathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gurney,Kyle 1 ; Banjoff,Leighton 1 ; Rose,Nathan 2 ; Fallon,Adam 1 ; Seidel, Sam 1 ; Johnston,Ryan 1 ; Archer,Nathan 2
SB: Fugitt,Justin 1 ; Archer,Nathan 1
CS: Ross,Tyler 1
HBP: Ross,Tyler 1 ; Fallon,Adam 1
PO: Ross,Tyler 1
Batting:
2B: Payton, Jack 1 ; Humphrey, Isaac 1 ; Anderson, Brandon 1 ; Smith, Noah 1 ; Vierling, Will 1
HR: McCoy, Ryan 1
RBI: Knapczyk, Christian 1 ; Payton, Jack 1 ; McCoy, Ryan 3 ; Vierling, Will 1
SH: Knapczyk, Christian 1
SF: Payton, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knapczyk, Christian 1 ; Payton, Jack 1 ; McCoy, Ryan 1 ; Mangrum, Haven 2 ; Vierling, Will 1
SB: Hawkins, Tyeler 1
HBP: Knapczyk, Christian 1
PO: Smith, Noah 1
