Gotta love those welcome home committees at home plate.
Bottom of the 11th inning, two outs remaining, Louisville trailing Notre Dame by a run, the first game of a doubleheader at Jim Patterson Stadium. Runs hard to come by, UofL hasn’t led all day. Now or never.
Stepping up to the plate for UofL is Nick Solak, the player with the Hollywood looks, the player born for these kind of situations, with a runner on first base. He will not disappoint, blasting the baseball into outer space, a 380-foot drive easily clearing the 2007 College World Series sign in left centerfield.
The two-run home run capping a third come-from-behind effort in the game, giving Louisville a dramatic 4-3 win before 2,288 fans at Jim Patterson field. His third hit in the game, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Zack Burdi having shut down Notre Dame with a runner on third in the top of the 11th, claiming his first win in relief.
Especially encouraging is Kyle Funkhouser, the starting pitcher, going eight full innings, allowing only one run on three hits. The senior right hander has now pitched 311 innings, the most ever for a UofL pitcher, surpassing Mike Shields during three seasons in the late seventies.
UofL will win the nightcap 8-2 behind left handed pitcher Brendan McKay, striking out 13 batters, allowing only three hits in six and two-thirds innings. He’s off to a 4-0 start and hasn’t allowed an earned run yet. The sophomore also had two hits, including a double, while driving in two runs. Solak also had a couple of hits in the second game, raising his hitting streak to 12 games.
The defending ACC champs are off to a 2-0 start in conference play, with a 12-2 overall record.