Feb 14, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns versus the Louisville Cardinals during the Shriner's Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Louisville Falls to Florida State in Series Opener

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 10:50 PM ET

Kicking off a ranked series with Florida State, the Louisville baseball program could not get the weekend started on the right foot, dropping the opener 10-2 on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

The No. 19 Cardinals (28-13, 10-9 ACC) have now lost three straight ACC series openers, and move to 3-4 in such games so far this season. They also fall to 13-37 all time against the No. 4 Seminoles (31-7, 12-4 ACC).

Facing FSU starting pitcher Jamie Arnold, regarded as a top-five prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft and the potential No. 1 overall pick, Louisville's hitters struggled mightily.

Jake Munroe (2-3, HR, RBI) hit a 393-foot solo home run in the second, while Lucas Moore (2-3, RBI, BB) hit an RBI single in the eighth, and these were the only runs driven in off of Arnold. The only other Cardinals to collect a base hit in the contest were Michael Lippe (1-3) and Kamau Neighbors (1-2, 2B).

Matched up against one of the top scoring offenses in the ACC, the Cardinals' pitching staff didn't fare much better. While UofL struck out 11 and allowed just one walk, they also gave up five home runs, 13 hits, and plunked three batters.

Louisville got off to a rocky start to the night, giving up four runs in the opening frame. Partially assisted by a misplayed ball in right field that forced Garret Pike to exit due to injury, Florida State collected a three-run inside-the-park home run, then launched a solo homer.

But after that, starter Ethan Eberle (5.0 IP, 7 K, 8 H, 6 ER) was able to settle in and give the Cardinals some stability on the mound. The true freshman put up zeroes in the next three innings before allowing another solo shot in the fifth, and set a new career-high is strikeouts as well.

However, that fifth inning blast would prove to be the first of six unanswered runs by the Seminoles.

After Eberle was yanked following a leadoff single in the sixth, newly-inserted Jack Brown (1.2 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 4 H, 3 ER) then immediately gave up a solo home run of his own. An inning later, he would then surrender a two-run blast. Aaron England (2.0 IP, 2 K, 1 H, 1 ER) would give up a solo shot in the eighth, before finally tossing a scoreless ninth.

Next up for Louisville, they'll try and even up the series in game two. First pitch of is slated for Saturday, Apr. 26 at 2:00 p.m. EST, and will be televised on ACC Network Extra and broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.