Louisville scored multiple runs in six different innings on its way to a 19-1 victory over the Youngstown State baseball team in the series opener on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
The Cardinals struck for four runs in the bottom of the first inning before scoring two runs in each of their next three at bats to build a 10-0 lead. YSU plated a single run in the top of the fifth before Louisville added five unearned runs in the home half of the fifth. The Cardinals added four runs in the eighth inning to account for the final margin.
Youngstown State falls to 0-7 on the season while Louisville earned its fifth straight win to improve to 5-4.
Derrick Tarpley Jr. went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, RJ Sherwood doubled and Alejandro Covas singled and scored a run. Matt Thompson also recorded a single as the Cardinals outhit the Penguins 16-5.
YSU starter Jacob Gehring took the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts over three innings. Nick Perez was responsible for seven runs, two of them earned, on three hits and six walks with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Brandin Anderson recorded the final out of the sixth before retiring the side in order with a pair of strikeouts during a scoreless seventh. Cam Marshalwitz surrendered four runs on five hits in the eighth in his lone inning of work.
Louisville scored four runs on two hits and two errors in the bottom of the first to jump in front. The Cardinals went on to post two runs in each of the next three innings to lead 10-0.
Covas delivered a one-out single in the top of the fifth and came around to score when Trey Law reached on a dropped third strike to put the Penguins on the board.
The Cardinals responded by scoring five unearned runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to increase their advantage to 15-1. Louisville tacked on four runs on five hits in the eighth inning.
Louisville starter Sebastian Gongora allowed one unearned run on three hits with 10 strikeouts over six innings to earn the victory. Kade Grundy tossed two scoreless innings of relief before Jared Lessman came on to work a scoreless ninth.
The Penguins and Cardinals will continue their three-game series on Saturday. First pitch at Jim Patterson Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra and YSNLive.com.
