The Youngstown State baseball team scored five runs with two outs in the ninth inning but came up short in a 9-5 loss to Louisville on Saturday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
The Cardinals scored in five of their first seven at bats to build a 9-0 lead heading into the ninth inning. After a pair of lineouts to begin top of the ninth, Trey Pancake and Teddy Ruffner hit back-to-back singles and Brett Stanley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Trey Law was also hit by a pitch to force in a run before Derrick Tarpley Jr. delivered a two-run double to right center field. After a pitching change, Ian Francis hit a two-run double of his own to left center to bring the Penguins within four runs. Louisville reliever Kaleb Corbett got RJ Sherwood to strike out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the game and give the Cardinals the series victory.
Youngstown State falls to 0-8 on the season while Louisville wins its sixth straight game to improve to 6-4.
Francis went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs while Law, Pancake and Ruffner had two hits apiece. The Cardinals outhit the Penguins 13-12 for the contest.
YSU starter Sloan Ulrich suffered the loss after allowing four runs on nine hits with a season-high six strikeouts over five innings. Niall Todd surrendered three runs on two hits and three walks while recording two outs. Chris Domke permitted two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings while Gavin Wilms retired the side in order in the eighth.
Louisville grabbed the lead with a single run on two hits in the home half of the second inning. Michael Lippe hit a leadoff single and came around to score when Eddie King Jr. reached on a fielder's choice. The Cardinals added two runs on four hits in the bottom of the third to build a 3-0 lead. Lippe hit a one-out RBI double before Gavin Kilen followed with an RBI single.
The Cardinals scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth on another RBI double by Lippe before adding three runs on two hits in the sixth to increase its advantage to 7-0. Ryan McCoy and Logan Beard hit back-to-back two-out solo home runs in the home half of the seventh to give Louisville a 9-0 edge.
Louisville starter Evan Webster earned the victory after allowing six hits and striking out six batters over six scoreless innings. Tucker Biven tossed two scoreless innings of relief before Mitchell Dean surrendered five runs on three hits in the ninth. Corbett permitted one hit while recording the final out of the contest in the ninth.
The Penguins and Cardinals will conclude their three-game series on Sunday. First pitch at Jim Patterson Stadium is slated for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra and YSNLive.com.
