Cards Host Western Kentucky to Wrap Homestand

Tuesday, March 21

Louisville, Ky.

5:00 PM

University of Louisville

Western Kentucky

JT Benson after hitting a double against Georgia Tech.

Photo by: Karthik Kalvakuri | Louisville Athletics

March 20, 2023 | Baseball

First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium.

By: Stephen Williams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville baseball team closes out a nine-game homestand on Tuesday against Western Kentucky with first pitch moved up to 5 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra and radio coverage will be available on 93.9 The Ville and 970 WGTK.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS
Louisville opened ACC play by taking 2-of-3 from Georgia Tech last weekend. The Cardinals improved to 9-0 in ACC openers since joining the league in 2015 and have now won their first conference series in eight of the nine seasons.

SERIES HISTORY
Louisville and Western Kentucky will meet for the 146th time on Tuesday night with the Cardinals holding a 76-69 advantage all-time. Louisville has won nine straight overall in the series including two wins over the Hilltoppers last season.

Jack Payton and Isaac Humphrey have each had good success in previous matchups against WKU. Payton is 4-for-9 with his first collegiate home run and eight RBIs in two games against the Hilltoppers, while Humphrey is 5-for-10 with three doubles and three RBIs in two games.

TEAM NOTES

Louisville has an .855 winning percentage (147-25) in regular season non-conference games since the start of 2016, including a 119-13 (.902) mark in regular season non-conference home games.
The Cardinals have recorded at least 10 hits in 13 of the first 19 games. Louisville tallied double-digit hits 41 times during the 2022 season.
Louisville had just 12 stolen bases through the first 14 games, but has stolen 22 in the last five.
The Cardinals rank ninth nationally in hits allowed per nine innings at 6.71, 15th with a 3.25 team ERA, and 18th with a 1.22 WHIP.
Louisville has been excellent early in games this spring, outscoring opponents 62-21 in the first three innings.

PLAYER NOTES

Jack Payton finished with an ACC-best 23 doubles in 2022, but homered just four times. The junior is still racking up the doubles with six already this season. However, Payton has shown more power this spring and matched his sophomore season total just 10 games into 2023. He had a 23-game on-base streak end last week but enters Tuesday with multiple hits in nine of the last 12 games.
JT Benson hit cleanup in the 2022 Opening Day lineup in his first collegiate game. However, a pair of fluke injuries derailed his sophomore campaign and limited him to just 14 starts. A fully healthy Benson has surged out of the gate in 2023, hitting .422 through his first 15 games played. Benson is 14-for-28 over the last nine games with seven extra-base hits (3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs), nine runs scored and 11 RBIs.
Gavin Kilen has gotten his collegiate career off to a strong start. After opening the season 0-for-6 in his first two starts, the freshman is hitting .406 (13-for-32) in his last eight games started and has been in the lineup at second base in five of the last seven games. Kilen's first nine hits of his career were singles, but he tallied a double in each game of the Georgia Tech series, going 5-for-13 overall.
Kade Grundy has started each of the last three midweek games for the Cardinals and has been lights out on the mound. The sophomore has allowed one run on three hits over 11 innings of work with 11 strikeouts to just two walks. The only blemish against him in the three starts was a solo home run against Miami (Ohio). Grundy has allowed just five total baserunners during that time.
Tate Kuehner was limited to start the season due to injury, but has been dynamic out of Louisville's bullpen since returning. The southpaw has made five appearances, giving up just one run on two hits in six innings. Kuehner locked down his first save against TCU in Houston before recording a win and a save in the Georgia Tech series.

CARDS SOARING THROUGH FIRST 19 GAMES
Louisville has been on a tear to start the season, winning 17 of its first 19 games in 2023.

The 17-2 record marks the fourth time the Cardinals have won at least 17 of the first 19 under Dan McDonnell. The Cards started 17-2 in 2010 and 2013, while they won the first 19 games of the 2017 season.

Louisville is one of seven teams (South Carolina, LSU, Virginia) remaining with two or fewer losses on the season.

LOUISVILLE RUNNING WILD OVER LAST FIVE GAMES
Under Dan McDonnell, the Cardinals have routinely been among the top stolen base teams in the country. UofL has notched at least 100 stolen bases in eight of the last nine full seasons after swiping 103 in 2022.

The Cards were off to a slow start this spring with just 12 stolen bases through the first 14 games. However, Louisville has tallied 22 in its last five contests, including eight in the finale against Georgia Tech. The 22 stolen bases are the most in a five-game span for the Cardinals since picking up 23 in a five-game stretch from Feb. 26-March 6, 2019.

Christian Knapczyk has stolen nine bases in his last six games, moving him into third place in the ACC, just one shy of the ACC leaders at 13.

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