By Derek DeBurger

Louisville dropped game two of the Super Regional to the Miami Hurricanes.

Despite the loss, the Cards still remain one game away from the College World Series.

False hope

The first inning was somewhat of a repeat of Friday’s with no real action.

The Canes were the first to draw blood in the second, with an RBI-single to give them a 1-0 lead.

The Cards, however, matched the run with an RBI-single from Zion Rose in the third, and a home run from Eddie King Jr. brought them both home to give the Cards a 3-1 lead.

Tucker Biven went three up and three down in the next half inning, then Jake Munroe hit a leadoff homer to push Louisville’s lead to 4-1. Louisville then loaded up the bases with Rose set to hit, but Kamau Neighbors got picked off at second after taking an unnecessarily large lead off the bag to end the half-inning.

Miami then proceeded get their leadoff batter on base, and advancing him to third with a couple of outs. A single brought the runner home and cut the lead to two runs.

The next batter then hit a dribbler down the first base line, and Tague Davis grabbed the ball to easily get the out at first. However, the umpire ruled the ball foul and the batter got new life. He then got on base with a single, and Jake Ogden hit a three-run homer to give Miami a 5-4 lead.

Rattled after the highly controversial call, the bats for both side fell somewhat quiet. Both teams went through a rotating door of pitchers, presumably trying to save arms for a potential game three.

King took back the momentum in the top of the seventh with a solo shot to tie the game.

But Miami got a double, bunt and single to take the lead back 6-5.

In the eighth inning, Miami put two runners on base, then Daniel Cuvet got his first hit of the Supers with a three-run homer to push the lead to four runs.

With their backs against the wall, Louisville got a leadoff double and a base hit from Lucas Moore took Alex Alicea home to cut the lead to three runs. Matt Klein drew a walk, and Louisville suddenly had momentum with Rose up to bat.

But that’s where the rally stopped, and Louisville lost 9-6.

One for the books…

The three-run margin looms large as that was the exact number of runs resulting from the questionable foul call.

And the Neighbors pick off adds salt to the wound, as that was a potential seven-run swing. There’s no guarantee that Louisville would have won the game had Davis been given the out, but the extra chance could’ve been enough to send Louisville to Omaha.

Regardless of the call, Louisville’s pitching was a regression to the mean.

Biven gave up seven hits and three walks in just 3.2 innings pitched, and Ty Starke gave up four runs in his 1.2 innings. The staff as a whole only struck four batters out.

The bats were mostly unremarkable, but King had an amazing day going 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBI.

The loss hurts, but Louisville is still in good position to clean up the series with the rubber match.

Game three will take place Sunday with the time of first pitch still to be determined.

Photo Courtesy // Nicole Finch, Louisville Athletics