The easy take, one arguably misinformed, is that the now once-streaking-until-they-weren’t CWS-bound Louisville Cardinals limped into the NCAA.

Uh, guilty.

The harsher view, the Stephen A-ish knee jerk bloviational rant: The Cards backed into the tourney. Hard, but one that got a few clicks, given how nastiness is a default character trait in these social media days. Negativitude seems to be an aspiration for many.

U of L lost 6 of its last 7. The coup de grace, a 13-11 L to lowly Pitt in the squad’s one and done appearance in the ACC tourney.

The promise of those two Ws (out of 3) in that season opening showcase near JerryWorld, kickstarting six and eight game winning skeins, seemed to have died on the vine.

Taking of season series against Super Regional participants North Carolina and Florida State were just, who knows. baseball luck. That the win over #1 seed VandyBoys in May was simply a midweek aberration.

Recent late season meltdowns fueled the dismay among fans of the Cardinal Nine.

Now, looking back with fresh eyes, and documentation that those takes were if not illformed at least of zero consequence, there might have been a hint of what was to come from that loss to the Panthers in Durham.

The Cards surrendered three in the top of the 1st, but never quit scratching back. Got one back in the bottom. Fell behind 8-1. But tallied four in the bottom of the 5th and another the next frame. After Pitt crossed the plate thrice in the top of the 8th, U of L battled back with five to knot in the bottom.

Yes, they allowed two for the defeat in the 9th.

But, the effort showed spunk. Resilience.

Yes, reliever Brennyn Cutts took the L. But it was easy to forget — if we ever actually knew it in the first place — he was the ’24 MVC Pitching MVP at Indiana State, and had hurled in the NCAA, the only Cardinal ever to play in the tournament.

 * * * * *

Then, a broom job in NashVegas.

Followed by blow out W over Miami in Super Regional opener.

The Cards were indeed streaking, if not quite at the level of Coastal Carolina who has been all cock-a-doodle-doo with a 23 game winning streak. (True. Verified.)

So, yeah, streaking.

Until they weren’t.

But, the game can turn instantly. Baseball can be the cruelest of sports.

Like Saturday, when U of L, looking for another sweep, was up 4-1, and the Hurricanes in their crosshairs. Bases full. Zion Rose, who was 4/6 in such situations this season, with bat in hand. Pitching change.

A boneheaded base running gaffe — getting picked off second — before reliever Carson Fischer had even thrown one to Rose.

Threat quashed.

One mistake, one play. Energy shift.

Miami grabbed this one by the scalp, took the lead with a four spot in the bottom.

Ball Game.

Which led to that antacid affair Sunday.

But that same scrap on display against Pitt showed up again.

Down 2-0, coming to bat in the bottom of the 3d, the Cards didn’t let an inning ending DP sap their will. Next at bat, a Rose RBI double, followed by a run scoring Fielder’s Choice (Miami failed to convert a DP) and the game was tied at 2.

Then one might offer that the 3-2 clinching W was as easy as 1 – 2 – 3.

Remember one mistake, one play.

Like the 1-2-3 DP the ‘Canes didn’t make, opening the flood gates in Game 1.

Make the play. Good things happen.

Jake Schweitzer came on in relief for Louisville in the top of the 6th.

He couldn’t have found the plate with Google Maps. Gave up a single to the lead off guy, before inducing a fly out. Then it was ball after ball after ball after ball . . .

Enough that three Hurricanes in a row walked to load ’em up.

Make the play. Good things happen.

Unlike AJ Ciscar in Game One, Schweitzer made the play.

A 1 > 2 > 3 DP.

Then in the bottom of the 7th, another cliché dropped by the ballyard.

It’s a game of inches.

With two gone, Jake Munroe took 2d on a wild pitch with Eddie King Jr. at the plate. Choking up with two strikes, King dropped one in short CF. Which Torres was an inch or two short of catching because he was playing King deep.

3-2.

Brennyn Cutts, you know the kid who took that Pitt L, took the mound and induced Miami’s gamer Ogden to fly out to clinch the series.

Next: Omaha.

— c d kaplan