Louisville baseball hammers Western Kentucky, eyes rivalry game with UK

The sixth-ranked Louisville baseball team pounded 16 hits on their way to a 14-2 rout of Western Kentucky (18-14) on Cancer Awareness Night Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium. The victory gave U of L (25-7, 10-5) a two-game season sweep of their in-state foes, who they defeated by a combined total of 31-2.

Colby Fitch was the star at the plate for the Cards, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Blake Tiberi swatted his fifth home run of the season and also added a double, finishing the night with a team-best four runs driven in.

That was more than enough ammo for junior righty Shane Hummel, who picked up his first win as a Cardinal by scattering five hits and two runs over seven innings. Hummel, a transfer from Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas, gave way in the 8th inning to Sean Leland, who worked a pair of scoreless frames to both lock down the win and save some arms for the rest of a busy week.

Next up for Louisville is a rivalry showdown with No. 9 Kentucky Wednesday night in Lexington. First pitch inside Cliff Hagan Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. The second Battle for the Bluegrass game between the two teams will take place next Tuesday night at 6 p.m. inside Jim Patterson Stadium.