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MOREHEAD, Ky. – For the first time this season, Morehead State baseball faces a midweek contest, travelling across the Commonwealth to face a nationally ranked opponent. The Eagles (4-6) make the trip to Louisville to take on a Cardinal program who is 8-3 on the season, ranking as high as No. 3 in the country.

Tuesday's midweek marks a return to action for Morehead State following its first home series of the year, dropping two of three games to Southern Illinois. The Cardinals enter following a three-game sweep of Western Michigan to extend their winning streak to seven games.

The Eagles enter the first midweek matchup of the year having strung together three-consecutive games recording double-figure strikeouts, racking up 10 or more strikeouts in eight of 10 games this season. Accruing 105 punchouts on the season, Morehead State ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in total strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings while leading the conference in strikeout to walk ratio.

First pitch is set for 3 p.m. ET and the game can be seen live on ACC Network Extra and heard live on the Eagle Sports Network.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (4-6) | No. 3 Louisville (8-3)
Series: Louisville leads 49-35
Last Five Meetings: L, 10-9 (March 6, 2019) | L, 16-10 (March 6, 2018) | L, 20-2 (March 1, 2017) | L, 9-5 (March 2, 2016) | L, 7-2 (May 29, 2015)

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Morehead State | Louisville
RHP Will Lozinak (0-1, 6.35 ERA) | LHP Tate Kuehner (0-1, 8.10 ERA)

NOTABLE (GAME NOTES)
Tuesday's meeting between Morehead State and No. 3 Louisville marks the 85th all-time meeting between the Eagles and Cardinals with Louisville holding a 49-35 advantage in a series that dates back to 1936.

Tuesday's meeting keeps a streak of 22 straight seasons (1999-present) the two programs have met on the diamond, having done so in a midweek meeting between 2000-14 and 2016 present. The two team's yearly meeting in 2015 occurred in the NCAA Louisville Regional.

The third-ranked Cardinals (ranking courtesy of D1Baseball) are the highest-ranked opponent Morehead State has faced in the regular season (limited records; 2006-present). The Eagles have faced one higher-ranked opponent, that being No. 2 Clemson at the 2018 NCAA Clemson Regional.

Overall, Morehead State owns a 9-30 record all-time against ranked opponents. The Eagles' last victory over a ranked opponent came in the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament as Morehead State defeated No. 18 Tennessee Tech 4-3 to claim the 2018 OVC Championship.

In Friday night's game against Southern Illinois, redshirt junior third baseman Stephen Hill authored a career-best performance, setting career highs in hits and RBI with four apiece and doubles with two. For the weekend, Hill finished with seven hits in 11 at-bats (.636) while driving in five runs and drawing three walks.

Stepping to the plate as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of Saturday's victory, sophomore outfielder Zach Boyd hit his second home run of the season—a three-run shot—to give the Eagles the lead. The home run was the first pinch-hit homer for Morehead State since April 2, 2019.

With long balls in each of the first two games of last weekend's series with Southern Illinois, senior outfielder Arthur Sells is the first Eagle to homer in back-to-back games since teammate Dom Peroni did so against Southeast Missouri on May 17-18, 2019.

Striking out 35 total batters last weekend, including a season-best 15 in last Saturday's victory, Morehead State has struck out 10 or more in three consecutive games while also having recorded double-figure strikeout totals in eight of 10 games this season.

Entering the week, Morehead State ranks second in the OVC in total strikeouts (105) and strikeouts per nine innings (105 in 86.0 IP) while also leading the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.18; 105 K to 33 BB).

Tossing 3.0 innings of relief last Saturday, redshirt sophomore lefthander John Bakke is the first pitcher to pitch 3.0 or more innings out of the bullpen in three consecutive appearances since David Looney did so against Alabama State, Southern Illinois, and Ohio from March 19-April 2, 2019.

With 14 strikeouts out of the bullpen in three appearances and 9.2 total innings pitched, Bakke ranks second amongst OVC relief pitchers in total strikeouts, trailing only Belmont's Kyle Brennan (16 K in six appearances [12.0 IP]).

Drawing eight walks in Sunday's series finale, Morehead State registered its highest single-game walk total since drawing 10 free passes against Marshall on May 1, 2019.