Louisville Baseball Hosts Media Day News Conference
February 10, 2014 | Baseball
Feb. 10, 2014
Pitchers Nick Burdi, Kyle Funkhouser and Jared Ruxer talk to reporters during Monday's Media Day at Jim Patterson Stadium.
CardsTV Press Conference Video from 2014 Louisville Baseball Media Day
- Head Coach Dan McDonnell
- OF Jeff Gardner, OF/LHP Cole Sturgeon & INF Sutton Whiting
- RHP Nick Burdi, RHP Kyle Funkhouser & RHP Jared Ruxer
CardsTV Press Conference Audio from 2014 Louisville Baseball Media Day
- Head Coach Dan McDonnell
Photo Gallery: 2014 Louisville Baseball Media Day
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Head coach Dan McDonnell and members of the eighth-ranked Louisville baseball team talked with reporters on Monday during the Cardinals' annual media day activities in the Omaha Room at Jim Patterson Stadium.
McDonnell, now in his eighth season leading the Cardinals, was joined by senior outfielder Jeff Gardner, senior outfielder/left-handed pitcher Cole Sturgeon, junior infielder Sutton Whiting, junior righthanders Nick Burdi and Jared Ruxer and sophomore righty Kyle Funkhouser in previewing the upcoming season. Louisville conducted its final preseason scrimmages on Saturday and Sunday at Jim Patterson Stadium in preparation for 2014.
Ranked in the top 20 in all five major preseason polls, Louisville returns 19 letterwinners from last year's squad, which won a school record 51 games, the program's fourth regular season conference title in five seasons and hosted NCAA postseason games for the fourth time. The Cardinals capped the season by defeating No. 2 national seed Vanderbilt in the Nashville Super Regional to clinch the program's second College World Series berth.
Among the top returnees for Louisville for the 2014 season are senior captains and All-Conference standouts Gardner and Sturgeon, an All-American pitcher in Burdi, an All-Conference shortstop in Whiting, senior catching duo Shane Crain and Kyle Gibson and Freshman All-American pitchers in Funkhouser and Anthony Kidston. A strong group of experienced upperclassmen including the likes of infielders Alex Chittenden, Zach Lucas and Danny Rosenbaum, outfielder Mike White and pitchers Ruxer, Kyle McGrath and Joe Filomeno are joined by a deep and talented set of newcomers setting the stage for another entertaining season on the diamond for the Cardinals.
In his seven seasons at Louisville, McDonnell has won more than 300 games while leading the Cardinals to two College World Series appearances, four regular season conference championships and two conference tournament titles. Overall, Louisville ranks ninth in the nation in wins over the last seven seasons with 309 for an average of more than 44 wins per campaign. The Cardinals have also produced 13 All-Americans, 44 all-conference selections and six conference player/pitcher of the year winners during that span while 26 Louisville players have signed professional contracts after being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Louisville will open its season at the Homewood Suites Tournament hosted by The Citadel on Feb. 14-16 in Charleston, S.C. The Cardinals will kick off the 2014 campaign against West Virginia on Feb. 14 at noon ET at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Louisville will begin its 36-game home slate on Feb. 19 at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium against Eastern Kentucky.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
