The University of Louisville opened its weekend series against visiting Alabama on Friday night and came away with a 4-3 victory in 14 innings, improving the Cardinals record to 10-2 on the season.
The 5th-ranked Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead when Ty Young and Jeff Gardner knocked in a pair of runs. The lead was short lived, as Alabama responded with three runs in the top of the second inning.
Junior Adam Engel led off the fifth inning with a double and later scored on a Nick Ratajczak single to even the score. The two teams remained tied until the 14th inning.
The Cardinals won the game without getting a hit in their final at-bat. Engel and Coco Johnson were both hit by a pitch and Ty Young reached on an intentional walk to load the bases. Cole Sturgeon forced a walk to plate the winning run.
The 14 innings marks the longest game in the history of Jim Patterson Stadium, which opened for play in April 2005.
Louisville, which entered the game as the nation's leader with 50 stolen bases, added two more on Friday night from Adam Engel, who upped his season total to 15.
The Cardinals pitching staff, who entered the game seventh in the nation with a 1.82 ERA didn't allow an earned run.
The announced attendance for the game was 1,659.
Louisville will host Alabama on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm.