University of Louisville
23-18
Kentucky
26-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 3 |
| Louisville | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | X | 14 | 13 | 0 |
Cardinals Earn Battle of the Bluegrass Win
April 22, 2026 | Baseball
Louisville (23-18) took the second Battle of the Bluegrass matchup of the season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
It was a back-and-forth affair through the first three innings on Tuesday night with the lead changing hands a pair of times.
The Cardinals got consecutive bases loaded walks from Griffin Crain and Jimmy Nugent in the opening frame to jump in front 2-0.
Kentucky (26-13) got a run back on a solo homer in the second, but Lucas Moore answered for the Cards with a run-scoring double in the bottom half.
The Wildcats grabbed their first lead of the night with a four-spot in the third. However, the lead would be short-lived.
A UK error kept the inning going with two outs and allowed Nugent to touch the plate. Zion Rose then doubled to the wall in left, sending two more runners home and putting the Cards back in front.
Louisville got a zero in the top of the fourth from Casen Murphy and then added to its lead. Moore drew the third bases loaded walk of the night and Nugent raced home on a passed ball to stretch the margin to three.
Kentucky clawed back with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to even the game up at eight.
Rose gave the Cards the lead back with a leadoff homer in the seventh, part of a five-run inning that would lift them to victory. Bayram Hot hit a two-run homer later in the inning before a run-scoring single from Kade Elam and a Zach Davis sacrifice fly.
The Wildcats scored twice in the eighth but a bases loaded walk to Nugent pushed the lead back out to four before Peter Michael slammed the door shut in the ninth.
Six different Cardinals had two hits in the victory with Nugent reaching base in all six plate appearances. Rose drove in three to lead the way with Moore, Hot and Nugent driving in two each.
Aaron England (2-2) earned the victory with 1.1 innings out of the bullpen. Michael recorded the final five outs for his first save.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: England, Aaron (2-2)
L: Jack Bennett (1-3)
S: Michael, Peter (1)
Batting:
2B: Luke Lawrence 1 ; Jayce Tharnish 1 ; Scott Campbell Jr. 1 ; Ryan Schwartz 1
HR: Ethan Hindle 1 ; Braxton Van Cleave 1 ; Ryan Schwartz 1
RBI: Luke Lawrence 1 ; Jayce Tharnish 2 ; Ethan Hindle 4 ; Braxton Van Cleave 1 ; Ryan Schwartz 1
SF: Jayce Tharnish 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tyler Bell 3 ; Luke Lawrence 1 ; Jayce Tharnish 1 ; Will Marcy 1 ; Ethan Hindle 1 ; Braxton Van Cleave 1 ; Ryan Schwartz 2
SB: Tyler Bell 1
CS: Carson Hansen 1
HBP: Tyler Bell 1 ; Scott Campbell Jr. 1 ; Carson Hansen 1 ; Ryan Schwartz 1
Batting:
2B: Moore, Lucas 1 ; Rose, Zion 1 ; Nugent, Jimmy 1
HR: Rose, Zion 1 ; Hot, Bayram 1
RBI: Moore, Lucas 2 ; Rose, Zion 3 ; Hot, Bayram 2 ; Crain, Griffin 1 ; Nugent, Jimmy 2 ; Elam, Kade 1 ; Davis, Zach 1
SF: Davis, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Moore, Lucas 2 ; Rose, Zion 1 ; Davis, Tague 3 ; Hot, Bayram 1 ; Crain, Griffin 2 ; Nugent, Jimmy 2 ; Campbell, Kyle 1 ; Davis, Zach 2
SB: Crain, Griffin 3 ; Nugent, Jimmy 1 ; Davis, Zach 2
HBP: Crain, Griffin 1
