By Matt Bradshaw —
After winning the first two games of the series, No. 8 baseball (14-1) dropped their first loss of the season to No. 13 North Carolina (8-7). The Cardinals were held scoreless in all but two innings. The Tarheels clinched their 10-3 victory with a six-run eighth inning.
Louisville’s 14 straight wins is now the second best season-opening streak in coach Dan McDonnell’s 12 years. The Cardinals started 19-0 last season.
Sophomore Drew Campbell led the Cards at the plate, batting 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Sophomore Justin Lavey added two RBIs.
Despite a career-high 10 strikeouts, junior Riley Thompson posted the loss on the mound for Louisville.
UNC struck first with an RBI single in the top of the second inning.
U of L answered in the bottom of the inning on Campbell’s RBI double.
With bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Lavey gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead with a two-run RBI single.
The Tarheels got one back in the top of the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly.
Both teams were scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings, then UNC took the lead 4-3 with two RBI doubles in the top of the seventh.
UNC blew the game open with six runs in the top of the eighth. The Tarheels loaded the bases early, then piled on five RBIs for a 10-3 lead.
The Cardinals failed to score from the fourth inning to the end of the contest, leading to their 10-3 demolition.
Louisville faces No. 5 Texas Tech at home Tuesday, March 13 at 3 p.m.
You can follow Matt Bradshaw on Twitter @bradmatt8.
Photo by Taris Smith / The Louisville Cardinal
