Elliott, Smith to Return for 2021 Season

The two have elected to utilize an additional season of eligibility granted by the NCAA.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – June 26, 2020

University of Louisville baseball student-athletes Adam Elliott and Luke Smith each announced they would be returning for the 2021 season on Wednesday.

The two have elected to utilize an additional season of eligibility granted by the NCAA after the 2020 campaign which was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elliott has spent four seasons with the Cardinals, working as an integral part of the bullpen each year. The southpaw has pitched in 67 career games with a 6-3 overall record and a pair of saves. Elliott has 89 strikeouts in 86 innings of work and his career ERA of 1.88 currently ranks third-best in Louisville history.

During the shortened 2020 season, the Louisville native was 1-0 in a team-high seven appearances. Elliott posted a 0.87 ERA, allowing just one run in 10.1 innings with 14 strikeouts.

Smith has played the last two years at UofL after transferring from Parkland College. The Champaign, Ill., native has a 9-1 record with the Cardinals in 22 career appearances. Smith was 6-1 during the 2019 season, during which he recorded the two longest postseason appearances in Louisville history with 8.1 innings in a NCAA Regional elimination game against Illinois State and again at the College World Series versus Vanderbilt.

Working as the Sunday starter in 2020, Smith was 3-0 in four starts with 18 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. He turned in seven shutout innings on March 1 as the Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of Western Michigan.

Louisville was 13-4 during the first month of the 2020 season and was ranked as high as No. 2 when the season was stopped.