Box Score I Play-by-Play

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University baseball team pulled to within one run of No. 16 Louisville in the sixth inning, but the host Cardinals scored four runs late to pull away and defeat the Colonels, 7-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Senior Michael Garcia put EKU (2-2) on the board in the top of the sixth when he connected on his second home run of the season, a two-run bomb to right-center that plated junior Shaun Ball and brought the Colonels to within one, 3-2.

Louisville (3-1), however, added a run in its half of the sixth, and then Stewart Ijames crushed a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the seventh that rallied the Cardinals to a commanding 7-2 lead.

EKU threatened in the top of the first, but came away with nothing. Seniors Richie Rodriguez and #A.J. Jamison# walked to lead off the game and Ball singled to center to load the bases with no outs; however, sophomore Bryan Soloman went down on strikes and seniors Jacob Daniel and Dustin Dunlop flew out to strand all three runners.

Louisville took advantage, as the Cardinals plated a run on a sacrifice fly to right in their half of the first, and then scored two more off back-to-back RBI hits by Cole Sturgeon and Adam Engel in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead.

In the top of fifth, Soloman just missed on a two-out, two-run home run to left center. Louisville center fielder Engel reached over the fence and brought back the potential momentum-shifting blast.

Junior left-hander Shane Grimm (0-1) got the loss in his first start as a Colonel, going 2.1 innings and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out a batter. Junior right-hander Andrew Wilson, also making his first appearance as a Colonel, spelled Grimm in the bottom of the third and was effective over 3.2 innings, limiting Louisville to just one run on two hits.

Freshman right-hander Nick Burdi (1-0) earned the win for Louisville, pitching four shutout innings and surrendering just two hits while striking out four batters.

EKU returns to action this weekend as the Colonels travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to face USC Upstate in a three-game series.