Cards Complete Sweep vs. Virginia; Face Kentucky Wednesday

Mark BlankenbakerApril 7, 2015

Lefthander Josh Rogers pitched seven dominant innings and Sutton Whiting had a career-best three doubles as No. 5 Louisville completed a series sweep of No. 14 Virginia with a 4-0 win on Monday night at Davenport Field.

With their seventh straight victory, the Cardinals (25-7, 14-1 ACC) also extended their ACC winning streak to 13 games and now hold a three-game lead in the ACC Atlantic Division at the halfway point of the conference slate. The shutout was the fifth of the season for Louisville, including the fourth in ACC games.

Rogers, a sophomore from New Albany, Ind., allowed just three hits and struck out two in 7.0+ shutout innings to win his fourth straight start and improve to 5-1 on the season. After freshman righty Lincoln Henzman (Lexington, Ky.) delivered a perfect inning of work in the eighth, sophomore righty Zack Burdi (Downers Grove, Ill.) registered 99 mph on the stadium radar gun multiple times in a perfect ninth inning to close out the game.

Whiting, a senior from New Wilmington, Pa., was 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in a run as the Cardinals finished with a 9-3 edge in hits against the Cavaliers (19-12, 6-9 ACC). Sophomore Nick Solak (Woodridge, Ill.) finished the night 3-of-3 with one RBI, while freshman Brendan McKay (Darlington, Pa.) added a double and one RBI in the win.

The Cardinals found the scoring column first on Monday night when sophomore Will Smith (Louisville, Ky.) delivered a RBI single to center to plate McKay for the 1-0 lead. McKay started things with his fifth double of the season, a one-out ground-rule two-bagger that hopped over the wall in right center.

Louisville added to its lead in the third inning when McKay was hit by a 3-1 offering from Virginia lefty Brandon Waddell with the bases loaded scoring Whiting for the 2-0 edge. Whiting reached base with a one-out double down the left field line and was followed by a single from Solak and senior Zach Lucas (Louisville, Ky.) being hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Following a scoreless fourth, the Cardinals increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning on a RBI single up the middle by Solak to score Whiting, who led off with a double down the left field line. An inning later, Louisville scored its fourth run of the night when freshman Devin Hairston (Lexington, Ky.) walked and was driven home on a RBI double for Whiting.

Waddell was charged with the loss for the Cavaliers and dropped to 2-2 on the season after allowing three runs on eight hits in four innings.

Up next, No. 5 Louisville will host Kentucky on Wednesday at 6 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. Tickets for the annual Battle of the Bluegrass can be purchased from the U of L Ticket Office by calling 502-852-5151.