Cardinal Nine is Regional Bound!
May 27, 2002 | Baseball
May 27, 2002
LOUISVILLE, KY - For the first time in the program's 93-year history, the University of Louisville baseball team will play in an NCAA Regional. The games will be played May 31st - June 2nd at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Louisville(39-16) received an at-large bid into the field of 64 as the number three seed and will face the second seed, the University of Georgia, in the first round of the four-team double elimination bracket on Friday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The Cardinal Nine will be joined in the bracket by the number one seed and host Georgia Tech(46-14) and their first round opponent, fourth seeded Coastal Carolina(43-17).
The winner of the regional will advance as one of 16 teams in the Super Regional June 7-9, before the final eight head to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series June 14-22.
A limited number of tickets will be available at the U of L ticket office Tuesday morning at 502.852.5151.
Georgia(30-27) was eliminated from the SEC tournament with a 7-2 loss to Florida and a 10-3 loss to Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs were 15-15 in the SEC during the regular season and have lost 10 of its last 12, including seven straight.
They are lead by junior outfielder Chaz Lytle who is First Team All-SEC and is hitting .392 with 30 stolen bases. The Bulldogs won the College World Series in 1990.
The Cardinals set a school record with 39 wins this season, surpassing the record of 38 set by the 1980 squad.
Head Coach Lelo Prado was named Conference USA Coach of the Year and will lead the USA National Team this summer in the FISU world Championships in Italy.
The Cards are lead by first team All-Conference selection Mark Jurich who hit .366 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI.
First baseman Morgan Bojorquez, DH Ken Tirpack and pitcher Zach Jackson were selected to the second team.
Jackson, a freshman, tied the school record for wins in a season with 10 victories and was also named to the All-Freshman team.
