Burdi Repeats as Omaha Challenge Champion, Red Wins Team Title
December 02, 2014 | Baseball
The victorious Red Team following the conclusion of the 2014 Omaha Challenge.
CardsTV Video: Interview with Head Coach Dan McDonnell
2014 Omaha Challenge Photo Gallery
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sophomore righthanded pitcher Zack Burdi became the first two-time individual champion at the Louisville baseball program's annual Omaha Challenge winning his second straight title while also leading the Red Team to the overall championship during the final day of competition on Tuesday.
Burdi finished with 239 points during the five days of competition to finish 25 points clear of sophomore infielder and runner-up Nick Solak with 214 points. It marked the second straight year that tandem has finished in the top two spots after Burdi was 13 points clear of Solak in the 2013 Omaha Challenge. Freshman righty pitcher Chandler Dale was third with 212 points, while senior infielder Zach Lucas (209 points) and junior righty Jonah Philley (196 points) rounded out the top five.
In the team race, the Red Team, captained by sophomore catcher Will Smith, scored 3,009 points overall to clinch the team title, while the Black Team, captained by junior righty Anthony Kidston, finished with 2,989 points. Joining Smith on the victorious Red squad was Burdi, Solak, Dale, Lucas, Philley, Colby Fitch, Logan Taylor, Drew Harrington, Riley Jackson, Corey Ray, Blake Tiberi, Mac Welsh, Grant Schreiver, Brendan McKay, Jimmy Faul, Austin Clemons, Chris Elbrecht, Mike White and Alex Sears. Joining Kidston on the Black Team was Robert Strader, Ryan Summers, Jordan Striegel, Sutton Whiting, Colin Lyman, Jake Sparger, Devin Hairston, Josh Rogers, Danny Rosenbaum, Kyle Funkhouser, Drew Ellis, Brandon Alphin, Sean Leland, Grant Weinmann, Michael Bollmer, Lincoln Henzman, Butch Baird, Kade McClure and Dylan Shoffner.
In Tuesday's final event, the medley, Kidston did all he could as team captain to help his side winning the competition with a time of 2:34.52, with Burdi in second at 2:36.50 and Lucas in third at 2:41.37. The last day of competition started early on Tuesday with early morning 100-meter swim won by Dale with a time of 1:07.07. Philley was second with a time of 1:09.68, while Burdi was third at 1:10.74.
On Monday, the Louisville players returned to competition following the Thanksgiving break with a pair of team scoring events. The Black Team earned 75 points by winning the dodgeball event and added an additional 50 points with a victory in the truck push.
The 2014 Omaha Challenge started on Nov. 23 with the paintball event, won by the Black Team for the first 50 points of the week. On Nov. 24, the early morning shuttle run started day two with Burdi leading the way with a time of 7:38.21, while sophomore outfielder Logan Taylor was second at 8:08.20 and sophomore pitcher Robert Strader in third at 8:10.32. Later in the afternoon, the Red Team won the tug-of-war and 50 bonus points while also sweeping the top three spots in the tire flip. Lucas won the tire flip with a time of 53.20 and was followed by sophomore lefty Drew Harrington (54.02) and Burdi (59.27).
On Nov. 25, the Black Team won 75 bonus points with a victory in the bike race, while freshman infielder Devin Hairston pulled the team closer by winning the towel hang with a time of 2:14.62. Senior outfielder Mike White was second at 2:02.15, while sophomore outfielder Corey Ray was third at 2:01.91.
The Omaha Challenge concludes a busy fall semester for Louisville players, who will now focus on finishing strong in the classroom as final exams begin on Dec. 10. Following a break for the Holidays, classes resume on Jan. 7 for the spring semester and the Cardinals will conduct their first official, full-squad practice session for the 2014 season on Jan. 23.
ABOUT THE OMAHA CHALLENGE
After being hired to lead the Cardinals, McDonnell introduced an intense test of physical and mental stamina during his first fall at the University of Louisville with what he refers to as the Omaha Challenge.
Two captains are selected and teams are drafted to compete against one another in a five-day series of events that tests the athleticism of the teams and the individuals, with a team crown and an individual champion to be named at the end of the competition. Sports performance coach Zach Farrel oversees the competition, while also motivating his charges to extend themselves to their limits.
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