Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University closed to within three early in the game, but No. 17 ranked Louisville pulled away for an 11-5 win on Tuesday.
 
EKU loaded the bases in the top of the first inning but came away empty.  After a rain delay, the Cardinals took advantage of traffic on the bases in the bottom half of the first. 
 
A triple by Zion Rose got UofL on the board 1-0.  Tague Davis made it 3-0 with an RBI single through the right side.  Bayram Hot capped the big start with a 2-out, 3-run home run down the left field line to make it 6-0.
 
The Colonels (8-37) cut the deficit in half with three in the top of the second.  Mauri Bejarano's 2-out, 2-run single to center started the scoring for the visitors.  Silas Shaffer followed with a run-scoring double to center to make it 6-3.
 
EKU never got any closer.  The Cardinals (31-13) scored two in the bottom of the second and one in the third to move ahead 9-3.  Hot hit another home run, a solo shot, in the fifth to extend the lead to 10-4.
 
Bejarano finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs and two RBIs.  Shaffer had a 2-for-2 game with one walk and three RBIs.  Elijah Underhill, Gavin Faulkner and Mitchell Berger each pitched one inning of scoreless relief over the final three innings of the game.  Berger struck out two of the five batters he faced.
 
Hot went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs for UofL.
 
The Colonels will host their final Atlantic Sun Conference series of the season this weekend when Central Arkansas comes to town.  Game one of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. ET.