Louisville Baseball Hosts 2013 Media Day Activities
February 11, 2013 | Baseball
Feb. 11, 2013
Press Conference Video from 2013 Louisville Baseball Media Day
- Head Coach Dan McDonnell
- OF Cole Sturgeon, 2B Nick Ratajczak, OF Adam Engel & INF Ty Young
- RHP Chad Green, RHP Jeff Thompson & RHP Jared Ruxer
2013 Louisville Baseball Media Day Photo Gallery
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Head coach Dan McDonnell and members of the fourth-ranked Louisville baseball team met with reporters on Monday during the Cardinals' annual media day activities leading up to the 2013 season-opener.
McDonnell, entering his seventh season leading the program, was joined by senior second baseman Nick Ratajczak, junior infielder Ty Young, junior outfielders Adam Engel and Cole Sturgeon, junior pitchers Chad Green and Jeff Thompson and sophomore pitcher Jared Ruxer previewed the upcoming season. Following the press conference, reporters toured Jim Patterson Stadium to see the final stages of the expansion project. The Cardinals closed the day with their final preseason scrimmage prior to Friday's season-opener.
With the program's highest ranking in school history at No. 4 in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25, the Cardinals return 21 letterwinners from the 2012 team, which finished 41-22 and advanced to an NCAA Regional for the fifth time in six seasons. In his six previous seasons leading the Cardinals, McDonnell is 258-122 with three BIG EAST regular-season titles, two BIG EAST Tournament titles, two NCAA Super Regional appearances and one College World Series berth.
Selected as the BIG EAST Conference favorite by the league's head coaches, Louisville won its third BIG EAST regular season title in the last four seasons in 2012. The Cardinals are led in 2013 by the return of seven of its school record 10 All-BIG EAST performers from last season, including second team outfielders Adam Engel and Cole Sturgeon. Most of Louisville's pitching staff returns for 2013, led by All-BIG EAST right-hander Jeff Thompson as well as BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American righty Jared Ruxer.
Louisville will open the 2013 season on Friday against Indiana (7:30 p.m., ET) in Dunedin, Fla., at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge. The Cardinals' 36-game home slate at Jim Patterson Stadium is set to open on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m., ET against Eastern Kentucky.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
