By Micah Brown —

After taking the first game of the series from Indiana State on a walk-off hit, baseball rolled past the opposition Saturday 10-6, taking the series from the visiting Sycamores.

Sophomore Nick Bennett started for the Cards. He held the opposition to two runs and six hits over six innings, striking out five and walking two in the process. With the appearance, Bennett saw his ERA rise form 2.14 to 2.32, which remains best on the team among starting pitchers.

The offense came to life in the third inning, plating four runs on four hits. A leadoff double by sophomore Ethan Stringer followed by two consecutive walks to sophomore Jake Snider and junior Devin Mann loaded the bases with one out for sophomore Logan Wyatt. Wyatt came through for the team, driving a two-RBI single to center field, scoring Stringer and Snider.

Junior Josh Stowers, who delivered the game-winning hit in the first game of the series, kept the wheels turning with an RBI double to deep left-center. Stowers proceeded to score on a hit to left field by sophomore Danny Oriente.

Wyatt continued the scoring for Louisville in the fifth inning, connecting on a three-run home run to right field, scoring Stringer and Mann. Wyatt reached base in all four of his plate appearances, and drove in a game-high five RBI’s. The first baseman scored twice on the bases and saw his batting average increase to .340 for the season.

The Cards received a scare in the eighth inning when junior reliever Riley Thompson came in from the bullpen. After retiring the first batter of the eighth inning, Thompson surrendered a single, followed by a hit-by-pitch, a walk and three consecutive singles, which contributed to a four-run inning for the Sycamores.

Indiana State graduate transfer Austin Conway entered the game in the eighth inning with one out for the Cardinals and proceeded to get out of the jam, striking out the first batter and getting a ground ball out to the next hitter. Conway closed out the game in the ninth, inducing a double play to his ex-roommate from Indiana State to end the game.

With the win, the Cards take the series from Indiana State and improve their record to 29-13 on the season and sit just below .500 in conference play at 10-11. Their 10-11 record puts the Cards in the middle of the pack in the ACC Atlantic, trailing North Carolina State, Clemson, and Florida State respectively. The Cards will look for the series sweep, as they conclude play against the Sycamores Sunday April 29 at Jim Patterson Stadium.

You can follow Micah on Twitter @micah_brown74

Photo by Nancy Hanner / The Louisville Cardinal