Louisville Blasts Xavier in Midweek Tilt

The Cardinals take down the Musketeers in the first midweek matchup of the 2026 season.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The No. 15 Louisville baseball program bounced back from a disappointing opening weekend, earning an emphatic 23-11 win over Xavier on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals' hitters had a field day at the plate, collecting 23 base hits, nine extra bases, three home runs and 10 walks. Louisville's offense exploded in the early innings, putting up seven runs in the second and seven more in the fifth to retake the lead after Xavier had tied the game.

Why it matters

This win helps Louisville get back to .500 after dropping their season-opening series against Michigan State. Head coach Dan McDonnell is now five wins away from 800 career victories, a significant milestone for the longtime Cardinals skipper.

The details

Louisville's hitters were led by Tague Davis (4-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2B, BB) and Jimmy Nugent (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B, 3 BB), who reached base five times. Alex Alicea (4-7, 2 RBI, 2B), Kyle Campbell (3-5, BB), Griffin Crain (2-4, 4 RBI, 3B, BB, HBP) and Lucas Moore (3-6, HR, 3 RBI, 3B, HBP) also had strong days at the plate. Crain had the first four-RBI game of the season for the Cards, while Davis, Jax Hisle (2-5, HR, 3 RBI, BB) and Moore all drove in three runs as well.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.

The players

Dan McDonnell

The head coach of the Louisville baseball program, who is now five wins away from 800 career victories.

Tague Davis

A Louisville player who went 4-6 with a home run, three RBIs, a double and a walk.

Jimmy Nugent

A Louisville player who reached base five times, going 2-3 with two RBIs, a double and three walks.

Alex Alicea

A Louisville player who went 4-7 with two RBIs and a double.

Griffin Crain

A Louisville player who had the first four-RBI game of the season for the Cardinals, going 2-4 with a triple, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

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What’s next

Louisville will head to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas for the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, and will take on Nebraska in their first of three games in the Lone Star State. First pitch is slated for Friday, Feb. 20 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

The takeaway

Louisville's offense exploded for 23 runs on 23 hits, including nine extra-base hits and three home runs, bouncing back from a disappointing opening weekend and putting head coach Dan McDonnell within five wins of 800 career victories.