Louisville Baseball to Hold First Official Practice on Sunday
January 31, 2009 | Baseball
Jan. 31, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville baseball team, ranked in the top 25 in six preseason polls, will hold their first official full-squad practice for the 2009 on Sunday at noon ET at either Jim Patterson Stadium or inside at the Trager Center depending on weather conditions.
Louisville will begin its full-squad practice sessions in preparation for the 2009 season-opener at SEC foe Florida on Friday, Feb. 20. The Cards and Gators will meet in a three-game series in Gainesville, while U of L's home-opener is set for Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. ET, at Jim Patterson Stadium.
On Friday night, the Louisville baseball program rolled out the new season with the 2009 Leadoff Dinner in the South Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center as three-time World Series champion and current New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi was the headline guest. Fans and supporters of the Cardinal baseball program were introduced to the 2009 squad while being entertained by stories and life lessons from Girardi, who played collegiate baseball at Northwestern University.
Louisville, the unanimous favorite to win the 2009 BIG EAST Conference title according to the league's head coaches, returns eight of nine position starters for 2009 led by All-American third baseman and preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Chris Dominguez. Third-year head coach Dan McDonnell's squad also returns a deep stable of talented pitchers, led by All-American and BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Justin Marks.
Last season, Louisville earned its second straight NCAA Championship bid after winning the program's first ever BIG EAST Tournament title. The Cards finished 41-21 overall in 2008 after being eliminated from the Athens Regional by eventual College World Series runner-up Georgia.
