Baseball Pulls Off Stunning Upset at No. 1 Louisville Tuesday

BOX SCORE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Down to their final six outs but trailing just 2-0 at Louisville Tuesday, Morehead State baseball wasn't deterred as the Eagles shocked the college baseball world by rallying for five runs and knocking off the No. 1 team in the nation, 5-2, at Jim Paterson Stadium.

Louisville had just received the top billing in the nation by Perfect Game Monday, but Morehead State's pitchers, eight of them, only allowed nine hits while the Cardinals' runs only came on an RBI ground out and a bases-loaded walk.

It marked Morehead State's first win over a ranked team since the OVC Tournament-clinching victory over Tennessee Tech on May 27, 2018. It was also the Eagles' first win over a non-conference ranked club since Feb. 21, 2017 when a 10-run ninth inning spelled a 13-8 comeback win at Mississippi State.

The Eagles won their second straight game after beginning the season 0-5. Louisville slipped to 6-2. MSU also halted a 20-game losing streak to U of L, with the last win over their in-state foes coming back in 2000.

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Louisville struck first with an RBI grounder in the fifth frame and added a second tally in the seventh when the Cardinals worked a bases loaded walk off freshman right-hander Grant Herron.
- The Eagles' eighth inning rally started when fifth-year center-felder Ryan Layne led off by being plunked by a 1-0 pitch from Carter Lohman (0-1). Following a strikeout, senior catcher Jack Gardner singled.
- Freshman shortstop Cole Becker walked to load the bases for senior outfielder Arthur Sells, who pinch hit. Sells delivered an RBI single to right field to make it 2-1. 
- With the bases still loaded, senior outfielder Peyton Dilligham tied the game by being hit by the first Lohman pitch.
- Freshman infielder Jackson Feltner stepped up and broke the tie with an RBi single to left field to score Becker.
- Junior infielder Bryce Hensor provided the insurance with a two-run single that slipped through the right side of the infield.
- In the bottom of the eighth, Louisville had runners on a second and third with two outs but Herron slammed the door with a strikeout.
- The home team also had two runners on in the ninth inning as well, but Herron again rose to the occasion with a fly out and a strike out to seal the upset.

NOTABLE

- MSU's win over a top-ranked team was the second time in the last three seasons an OVC team defeated a No. 1 program as Austin Peay beat top-billed Vanderbilt in 2019. Before that it has been since Jacksonville State defeated Georgia in 2009.
- The eight Eagle pitchers (Will Lozinak, Jarrett Miller, Cory Conway, Matt Bettio, Alex Kafka, Joe Rotkis, John Bakke and Herron) combined to whiff 10 U of L batters, the ninth straight game MSU has recorded at least 6 strikeouts and the second consecutive double-digit strikeout game.
- Herron recorded his first collegiate win, fanning five in 2.2 innings while only surrendering two hits.
- The Eagles were held to just six hits, led by a 2-for-5 day from Gardner. It was his second multi-hit game. 
- MSU hitters stayed patient for six free passes and were hit three times. 
- Sells' hit to get MSU on the scoreboard in the eighth was his first of 2021.
- The victory was head coach Mik Aoki's second-ever over U of L.

UP NEXT

Morehead State will have a three-game set against Marshall this weekend. The Eagles and 'Herd play Friday at 1 p.m. ET at Marshall before the home opener at Allen Field is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.