Leopards Use 5-Run 2nd to Sink Lake 8-6 – Baseball
Louisville 8, Lake 6
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The Louisville Leopards Varsity Baseball Team earned an 8-6 road victory over the host Lake Blue Streaks Friday Evening at the Route 43 Athletic Complex in Hartville. The victory snaps the Leopards two-game skid as they improve to 12-8 on the season.
Two Teams Exchange Leads in Opening Inning
Louisville got on the board first when Cole Miller drove in Cooper Rice on a sacrifice fly in the opening frame.
The Blue Streaks answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first. Will Feser singled home Joshua Sdemock. Two batters later, AJ Bosz walked with the bases loaded bringing home Noah Kubasky.
Leps Take Command with 5-Run Second Inning
The seesaw battle continued as the Leopards re-gained the lead with a crooked number in the top half of the second inning. All five of Louisville’s runs in the frame would come with two outs.
Zach Root delivered a 2-run single that plated Bryce Graziani and Rice to put the Leopards back in front 3-2. Two batters later, Zander Triplett delivered a 2-run single to center field that brought home Jakeb Beard and Root. Zach Ganser batted next and reached base on an error by the shortstop that scored Miller from third to give Louisville a commanding 6-2 advantage.
Root Leads Louisville Offense
Root would finish 2-for-5 at the plate scoring a run and driving in three runs. In the top of the third, Root added to the Leopard advantage with a 2-out, RBI double to center field that scored Rice.
The run was Rice’s third of the game as he came across the plate in each of the first three innings. It would also prove to be the deciding run in the contest.
Blue Streaks Strike Back
Lake rallied back to get to within 7-6 by the end of the fifth inning.
Preston Bowman drew a bases load walk in the bottom of the third to bring home Feser cutting the lead to 7-3. Louisville pitcher Tate Aljancic got out of the jam with a double play three pitches later. A liner back to the mound was caught by Aljancic and he threw back to first base to double up Bowman.
The scrappy Blue Streaks tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Adam Larimore walked to lead off the inning and later came home via a balk. Later with the bases loaded, Sedmock reached on an error bringing home Bosz to make it 7-5. Four pitches later, Bowman scored on a passed ball to narrow the margin to a single run.
Graziani got Feser to ground out to Andrew Corona at shortstop in the next at-bat to end the frame and preserve the Leopards 7-6 advantage.
Graziani Closes Out Lake to Earn Save
Louisville tacked on one more insurance run in the sixth inning. With runners on the corners, Corona cracked a sacrifice fly to left field that brought home Miller from third to make it 8-6.
On the mound, Graziani worked the final three innings, allowed just 1 unearned run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4 to earn his first career save. After working out of the bases loaded jam in the fifth, Graziani faced the minimum the rest of the way. In the sixth, he allowed a lead-off single to Larimore but he was thrown out by Ganser after attempting to steal second base. Graziani struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Aljancic started the first four innings for the Leopards and earned his team leading fourth win of the season. He is now 4-1 on the hill this year.
Louisville finishes the regular season with a 4-2 record against Federal League opponents. The Leopards and Blue Streaks will likely rematch on May 16 in their DI sectional final held at Andy Aljancic Field.
<<< Previous 2023 | Lake Baseball Series
JV: Lake 6, Louisville 5
UP NEXT: The Louisville Baseball Team will next travel to take on the Marlington Dukes on Wednesday, May 8. Game time is set for 5:00 PM from Marlington High School.
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Louisville at Lake Varsity Baseball Box Score
LEOPARDS 8, BLUE STREAKS 6
Team 123-456-7–R-H-E
Louisville 151-001-0–8-7-1
Lake 201-030-0–6-7-2
Records: Louisville 12-8, Lake 8-10
