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For the first time since 2010, the Louisville baseball team opened the season in the friendly confines of Jim Patterson stadium, and the SIU Edwardsville Cougars proved to be no match for the highly touted Cardinals.
Coach Dan McDonnell was able to empty the dugout in the seventh inning and let ace pitcher Kyle Funkhouser have an easy first outing of 2016. The senior righty scored the win after allowing 7 hits and striking out 3. Freshman reliever Sam Bordner was credited with his first career save. Bordner was ranked the 147th player in this season's freshman class, and it appears he will live up to the hype as he towers at 6'6" and struck out three Cougar batters tonight.
The Cards dominated the Friday night pitching staff for SIU, amassing 17 hits, 8 walks and scoring 21 runs. Lead-off hitter Corey Ray went 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBI's while scoring three runs. Sophomore Logan Taylor went 2-3 with 2 RBI's and also scored three runs. Danny Rosenbaum led the RBI parade with four of his own on a 2-3 night. Shortstop Devin Hairston went 3-6 and catcher Colby Fitch was the only Cardinal to leave the park this afternoon hitting a 2 run homer in the 7th.
Game two of the three game set will be tomorrow at 2 p.m. With temperatures projected to be hovering around 70 degrees for tomorrow afternoon, come out and support the Cardinal Nine after the basketball game downtown. Admission is free and there will be $2 beers and $3 burgers in left field. Also wear a Louisville ball cap to the game tomorrow and receive a voucher for a free popcorn at the gate.