Drew Ellis is a freshman, just learning his way around the college baseball world. Surprising that he would get the starting assignment in left field for the University of Louisville baseball team against arch-rival Kentucky.

Drew Ellis wields big bat with five rbi's.
Drew Ellis wields big bat with five rbi’s.

Loves going to BW3 restaurants, consuming those chicken wings by the dozens, listening to country music on the car radio. Baseball is his passion, though, and the Jeffersonville High grad was ranked by the fourth best player in Indiana last year by Perfect Game.

Dan McDonnell had no second thoughts about starting him against UK, confident the youngster could handle the challenge. The UofL coach would not be disappointed, not with Ellis coming through twice with the bases loaded, driving in two runs with a single in the third inning and three with a double in the fifth to lead Louisville to a 9-6 win.

Stil has much to learn, as evidenced by his throwing a ball over home plate allowing UK to score its first run.  A little too excited on that one, hurrying the throw. But what an arm he unveiled on that play, a diamond in the rough, the future.

Meanwhile, Kade McClure was yielding eight hits to the Wildcats eight hits but not when they counted. The big 6-foot-3  left-hander turned in six innings, improving his won-lost record to 8-0 this season.

McClure would need some help, with Kentucky trimming the lead to 7-6 in the eighth inning. Colin Lyman would come through with base hit driving in two runs in the top of the ninth. Reliever Zack Burdi would strike out the last three UK batters with a runner on second to put the game away.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.