Tom Hurley | @TomHurleyKernel

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Fifteen hits and 15 strikeouts fueled No. 8 Louisville to a 12-5 victory over No. 17 UK on Tuesday at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

All nine outs for the Cats’ offense in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings came courtesy of strikeouts from the Louisville pitching staff.

UK freshman pitcher Kyle Cody sent the Cards down to open the game before giving up five runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth as he picked up his second loss of the season.

“I thought it got going really fast for Kyle in the third, and then obviously tremendous lack of concentration in the sixth,” said UK head coach Gary Henderson. “There’s the two innings and there’s the ballgame.”

UK took the lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore first baseman A.J. Reed singled to right-center to score freshman right fielder Kyle Barrett from second.

Louisville (29-7, 7-2 Big East) tied things up in the second before breaking the game open with five runs in the third to take a 6-1 lead.

Reed picked up two more RBIs in the home half of the third when his double to center scored Barrett and sophomore third baseman Max Kuhn.

The Cardinals quashed any hopes the home side had of a comeback by turning their 6-3 lead in a 12-3 advantage with six runs in the fifth.

Junior shortstop Matt Reida drew a walk with the bases loaded in the Cats’ half of the fifth to make it a 12-4 ballgame.

UK added one final run in the bottom of the ninth when sophomore pinch hitter Jacob Russell singled to right field for his first career hit.

That allowed freshman second baseman Andrew Bryant to cross home moments after picking up his first career stolen base by swiping third.

The Cats (24-12, 7-8 SEC) look to get back to winning ways when they begin a season-long seven-game road trip on Friday at South Carolina.

Friday’s contest, the first of a three-game set with the Gamecocks, gets underway at 7 p.m.