Box Score The Youngstown State baseball team fell to 1-4 on the season with an 8-1 loss to No. 13 Louisville Saturday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
The Penguins were held to just three hits for the second straight game. Cody Dennis, Zach Lopatka and Austin Trace each singled for YSU. Trace, a freshman catcher, registered the first hit of his career.
Collin Floyd fell to 0-2 on the season after giving up four earned runs on five hits over four innings of work. The junior lefty struggled to find consistent command as he walked six batters on the afternoon.
Three of Louisville's first four runs were scored by players who had reached on a walk. YSU pitchers walked a total of 14 batters in the game.
Riley Thompson picked up the win for Louisville as he allowed just three this over five scoreless innings. The Cardinals improved to 6-0 on the season with the victory.
Freshman right-hander Andrew Shivak tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Penguins in his second appearance of the season.
Alex Bellardini and Dalton Earich each pitched two-thirds of an inning out the pen for YSU. Bellardini allowed three earned runs while Earich gave up one.
The Penguins would threaten in the top of the first inning as Zach Lopatka and Trey Bridis both reached base with one-out walks. However, both runners would be stranded as Blaze Glenn struck out looking and Drew Dickerson flew out to right field to end the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Jake Snider reached base for Louisville on a one-out walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Floyd.
Snider would then take off attempting to steal third and was able to come around to score on another wild pitch to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead.
Later in the inning, Logan Wyatt hit a hard ground ball to second base which ricocheted off the glove of Drew Dickerson and into the outfield for an RBI single as Devin Mann scored on the play to make it 2-0.
Louisville would add to their lead in the bottom of the second inning as Lucas Dunn doubled down the left field line with one out. An RBI single to left field by Snider scored Dunn to push Louisville's lead to 3-0.
The Cardinals got things going again in the bottom of the fourth as Snider reached on a one-out walk and advanced to second on a groundout.
Ethan Stringer then blasted a two-out double over the head of Nick Massey in left field to drive in Snider and put the Cardinals ahead 4-0.
The Penguins led off the fifth with two straight singles by Austin Trace and Cody Dennis. With one away, Jeff Wehler reached base and pushed Trace to third on a fielder's choice before Lopatka struck out looking to end the threat.
Youngstown State threatened again in the sixth as they got two aboard when Trey Bridis and Blaze Glenn each walked to start the inning. Drew Dickerson then reached on a throwing error to load the bases with nobody out.
Andrew Kendrick registered his first RBI of the season as he drove home Bridis on a fielder's choice to cut the Louisville lead to 4-1. Austin Trace then grounded into a double play which ended the inning.
Louisville tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the seventh to provide some breathing room as they won their second straight over the Penguins.
Youngstown State and Louisville will play the final game of their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
