By Sammie Hill–
Following the University of Louisville baseball team’s 12-0 victory over UK, freshman pitcher Jared Ruxer earned the honor of being named Big East Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Ruxer’s performance in the UK game showcased his talent, for he sat 18 of 22 batters and earned a career-high six strikeouts.
He threw 65 strikes from a total of 98 pitches, leading the Cardinals to victory as the first team this season to shut out UK.
“It was a big challenge against a good team,” Ruxer said following the game against the Wildcats, “and we played well all around.”
The right-handed freshman played baseball at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, Ind., where he earned All-State, All-Conference and All-County honors.
As a senior, he had 59 strikeouts, improving on the 51 strikeouts he threw as a junior. Perfect Game USA named him as one of the top 300 players in America among the class of 2011.
Two other Cardinals have received Big East recognition this year; sophomore infielder Ty Young and senior first baseman Stewart Ijames have both been named Big East Players of the Week in 2012.
Jared Ruxer and the rest of the University of Louisville baseball team will face UK at home on Tuesday, April 24 at 6 p.m.
The Cardinals, ranked No. 22, will also tackle a three-game series at home this weekend against the University of Connecticut.
Friday’s game will be held at 6 p.m. while Saturday and Sunday’s games will take place at 1 p.m.
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Photo: Michael Baldwin/The Louisville Cardinal
