The ninth-ranked University of Louisville baseball team claimed a 6-4 victory over No. 7 Boston College in the three-game series opener at Jim Patterson Stadium on Thursday night.

Louisville (22-7, 5-5 ACC) rode a strong effort from Ryan Hawks and a balanced offensive attack to the victory in game one of the weekend.

Hawks (5-1) was dominant for eight innings on Thursday, allowing just a first-inning run while striking out eight to get in the win column. The eight innings were a career-best for the right-hander and the longest outing of the season for a Louisville pitcher.

Boston College (21-7, 8-5) struck first on Tuesday, picking up a two-out, run-scoring single to push across the opening run. However, the Cards cut down a runner at third on the play to end the inning.

Louisville tied the game in the second, stringing together three singles to even it up. Eddie King Jr. delivered the RBI knock with a single to right field.

It was King coming through again in the fourth, singling once more through the right side and Gavin Kilen dove across the plate just ahead of the tag to give the Cardinals their first lead of the night. Christian Knapczyk followed with a two-run single back through the middle to stretch the lead to three.

Will Cook got in on the act in the fifth, singling home Kilen who had led off the inning with a hit of his own.

Hawks kept rolling on the mound, retiring the final 12 batters he faced before exiting after the eighth. Logan Beard then added one more run of insurance with a single in the eighth.

The Eagles made things interesting in the ninth, pushing three runs across and getting the tying runs on base with two outs, but Tate Kuehner was able to induce a game-ending groundout to secure the victory.

All nine Louisville starters had at least one hit on the night with Beard, King, Brandon Anderson and Patrick Forbes all recording multiple hits.

Louisville and Boston College continue their series on Friday with first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET.