The eighth-ranked University of Louisville baseball team fell to No. 2 Wake Forest with a score of 11-5 on Friday night at Jim Patterson Stadium. The game attracted 3,850 spectators, making it the largest crowd at Patterson Stadium since game two of the 2019 Super Regional.
The defeat marks the first loss for Louisville (25-8, 7-6 ACC) against a ranked opponent this season, after securing five consecutive victories.
In the first inning, the Cardinals took the lead with Christian Knapczyk’s single, followed by Eddie King Jr.’s single on the 11th pitch of his at-bat, which drove home the opening run. However, the Demon Deacons (30-4, 13-2 ACC) stormed back in the third inning with three consecutive home runs, including a three-run shot that put them ahead, 5-1.
Wake Forest extended their lead in the fourth inning by capitalizing on a Louisville error. Although the Cardinals scored two runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and eighth innings, they were unable to close the gap, ultimately losing by six runs.
Ryan Hawks (5-2) took his second loss of the season, giving up five runs over three innings. Kade Grundy and Ben Wiegman performed well out of the bullpen, with Grundy pitching three shutout innings and Wiegman contributing a scoreless frame.
The Cardinals will look to bounce back as they continue their three-game series against Wake Forest on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.