Cardinals Ready for NCAA Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium
May 29, 2014 | Baseball
May 29, 2014
The Louisville baseball team concluded its NCAA Regional practice day with a news conference at Patterson Stadium.
GAME DAY INFO: #8 Louisville (45-15) at 2014 NCAA Regional
Date: May 30-June 2, 2014
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Patterson Stadium (4,000)
Radio: WNDA 1570 AM
TV: ESPN3
Internet: CardsTV (Audio) at GoCards.com
Live Stats: Gametracker at GoCards.com
Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball
Louisville Baseball Game Notes (at 2014 NCAA Regional) | 
Photo Gallery: 2014 NCAA Regional Practice Day
2014 NCAA Louisville Regional Central | 2014 NCAA Baseball Championship Bracket (NCAA.com)
2014 NCAA Louisville Regional Daily Schedule of Events 
| Parking, Single Game Tickets & Will Call Information
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The eighth-ranked Louisville baseball team begins its quest for a return to the College World Series by hosting an NCAA Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium for the second straight season.
Top-seeded Louisville will host No. 4 seed Kent State on Friday at 6 p.m., ET, while No. 2 Kentucky and No. 3 seed Kansas will open the regional at 2 p.m. Every game of the Louisville Regional will be televised by ESPN3 through WatchESPN with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Gabe Gross (analyst) on the call.
Live play-by-play of all of the Cardinals' postseason games can be heard on News/Talk 1570 AM while live audio will be available through CardsTV at GoCards.com. Live scoring will be available through Gametracker at GoCards.com.
PRACTICE DAY AT PATTERSON STADIUM
The Cardinals put the final touches on their preparations for the NCAA Regional with an open practice session at Jim Patterson Stadium on Thursday morning. Louisville practiced for 75 minutes in front of a large gathering of reporters before meeting with the media in a news conference to preview the return of postseason baseball. Earlier in the week, Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell announced that sophomore righty Kyle Funkhouser would get the start against Kent State in Friday night's opener.
NCAA LOUISVILLE REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, May 30 | (ESPN3)
Game 1: No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Kansas - 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Kent State - 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 31 | (ESPN3)
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - 1 p.m.
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 1 | (ESPN3)
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser - Noon
Game 6: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 4 p.m.
Monday, June 2 | (ESPN3) - If necessary
Game 7: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner - 7 p.m.
All times are Eastern Daylight Savings
NCAA LOUISVILLE REGIONAL TICKET INFORMATION
All-Session Tickets
On sale now by ordering online here
Reserved Chairback: $70
College Student: $45
Single-Session Tickets
Available starting on Friday in person only
Reserved Chairback: $15
Berm/General Admission: $10
College Student: $5
NCAA REGIONAL MATCHUPS OVERVIEW
The Louisville Regional features a pair of familiar foes and one first-time opponent for the Cardinals. Louisville and Kentucky have played two times per year for each of the last 12 seasons (UL 9, UK 15), while the Cardinals and Kent State have played 20 times since 2002 (UL 12, KSU 8). Louisville and Kansas have never previously met on the baseball diamond.
The Cardinals trail the Wildcats 35-61-1 all-time, including a pair of losses earlier this season. Louisville holds a 15-12 lead all-time against Kent State, including eight wins in the last 10 games.
LOUISVILLE NOTES AND TRENDS
- Louisville is 38-0 this season when leading after the eighth inning and has won 93 straight games when entering the ninth with the lead going back to May 2012.
- The Cardinals are 34-2 this season when out-hitting their opponents and 10-11 when being out-hit.
- Louisville has won 51 straight games dating back to last season when scoring five runs or more including a 35-0 record this season.
- The Cardinals are 30-6 this season against righty starters and 15-9 against lefties.
- The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 60 games this season, something they did in 36 of 65 in 2013.
- Having won 18 of the last 22 games, the bullpen has a 2.44 ERA in 73.2 innings in that stretch. Overall, the pitching staff has a 2.43 ERA in the last 22 games with 189 strikeouts in 196.0 innings.
- Louisville enters the postseason ranked second in the nation in stolen bases with 121 and fourth in stolen bases per game at 2.02.
- The Cardinals are also 8th nationally in HBP (101), 12th in runs (386) and 21st in scoring (6.4 per game).
- The Louisville pitching staff is ranked 7th in strikeouts per 9 IP (8.4), 14th nationally in hits allowed per 9 IP (7.50) and 22nd in ERA (2.85).
- In three previous NCAA Regionals at Jim Patterson Stadium, the Cardinals have started 2-0 each time.
- UofL is 8-3 all-time at home in NCAA Regionals.
NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY AT JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
The 2014 Louisville Regional marks the fifth time Jim Patterson Stadium has hosted NCAA postseason games. Overall, the Cardinals are 10-4 all-time in postseason home games after going 3-0 in the 2013 NCAA Regional, 2-2 in the 2010 NCAA Regional, 3-1 in the 2009 NCAA Regional and 2-1 in the 2007 NCAA Super Regional.
Last season, the Cardinals swept through a trio of games against Bowling Green, Miami (Fla.) and Oklahoma State to begin its run to Omaha. In 2010, Louisville earned wins over Saint Louis and Vanderbilt in the first two games before dropping back-to-back contests to the Commodores in the championship round. In 2009, the Cardinals opened with wins over Indiana and Vanderbilt, dropped a title game matchup with Vandy before winning the Monday night rematch to advance to a Super Regional. In its 2007 Super Regional matchup with Oklahoma State, Louisville won the opener and dropped game two in 12 innings before winning 20-2 in the deciding third game to earn the program's first College World Series berth.
Year-by-Year NCAA Postseason Results at Jim Patterson Stadium
- 2013 NCAA Regional - Regional champion (3-0)
- 2010 NCAA Regional - Regional runner-up (2-2)
- 2009 NCAA Regional - Regional champion (3-1)
- 2007 NCAA Super Regional - Super Regional champion (2-1)
LOUISVILLE AMONG 11 SCHOOLS TO HOST FOUR OR MORE NCAA REGIONALS IN LAST SIX YEARS
Louisville is one of just 11 Division I schools to have hosted four or more NCAA Regionals over the last six seasons (since 2009). That list includes seven schools serving as hosts for 2014 Regionals -- Florida (5), Florida State (5), Louisville (4), LSU (4), Rice (4), South Carolina (5), TCU (4) and Virginia (5). Also joining that group are Cal State Fullerton (4), North Carolina (4) and UCLA (4).
CARDINALS IN SELECT COMPANY WITH ANOTHER 40-WIN SEASON
With the victorious series finale at Temple on May 11, Louisville clinched its seventh 40-win season in Dan McDonnell's eight years as head coach. Entering this week's NCAA Regional action, Louisville is one of only five programs in the nation to accomplish the feat of seven or more 40-win campaigns in the last eight seasons. Joining the Cardinals on that list are Florida State (8), Rice (8) and South Carolina (8) and TCU (7).
LOUISVILLE RANKED IN TOP 20 IN ALL FIVE MAJOR POLLS
After opening 2014 in the same position it ended the 2013 season with a top 10 national ranking, Louisville remained in the top 10 this week in three of the five major polls. Entering the NCAA Regional, the Cardinals are ranked as highly as No. 8 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 30 and they continue to be ranked in all five polls. Prior to the season, Louisville was tabbed at No. 8 in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper preseason poll, 13th in the USA Today coaches' poll, 14th in the NCBWA preseason poll, 16th in the Perfect Game Top 25 and 20th in the Baseball America Top 25. Louisville has earned preseason top 25 rankings in seven straight seasons.
GARDNER CHOSEN AS AMERICAN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR; SEVEN CARDINALS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Louisville senior outfielder Jeff Gardner was named American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and led a group of seven Cardinals earning All-American Conference honors during the opening ceremonies of the 2014 American Conference Championship at Bright House Field on May 20. This year's honor for Gardner marks the eighth time in the last eight seasons a member of the Cardinals has been selected as conference player or pitcher of the year. Gardner is the first player of the year for the honoree for Louisville since Chris Dominguez earned back-to-back Big East Player of the Year awards in 2008 and 2009.
Joining Gardner as All-American Conference First Team selections were junior closer Nick Burdi, senior third baseman Alex Chittenden and sophomore righthanded pitcher Kyle Funkhouser. Junior righty Jared Ruxer and senior outfielder/lefty pitcher Cole Sturgeon were All-American Conference Second Team honorees, while junior second baseman Zach Lucas was an All-American Conference Third Team pick.
LOUISVILLE WINS THIRD STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLE, FIFTH IN SIX YEARS
With its 5-1 victory over Cincinnati on May 16, Louisville clinched the inaugural American Athletic Conference regular season championship and the top seed in last week's conference championship. The Cardinals have won three straight regular season conference championships and five in the last six seasons overall. Louisville won Big East regular season titles in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 prior to winning this year's American championship.
BURDI TAKES THE 101 TO JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
As the only person to ever hit the 100 mph plateau on the mound at Jim Patterson Stadium, junior closer Nick Burdi took it to a new level on April 25 when his final pitch of the night in the Cardinals' 2-0 win over UConn registered at 101 mph on the ballpark scoreboard and produced a swing-and-miss for the final out of the game. Last season, the talented righthander became the only pitcher to ever reach the century mark at Patterson Stadium when his first three pitches in a save against Akron on Feb. 24 hit 100 mph. Burdi has used that very live arm to become Louisville's career saves leader with 30, including 14 this season.
GARDNER, STURGEON CONTINUE WHERE THEY LEFT OFF IN 2013
After finishing the 2013 College World Series season as the Cardinals' top two hitters for average, senior outfielders and team captains Jeff Gardner and Cole Sturgeon have continued to pace the way for the Louisville offense in 2014. Gardner leads the team in average (.340), RBI (66), home runs (9), doubles (19) and slugging (.572) while starting 58 games. Sturgeon leads the team in runs scored (54) and triples (7), ranks second in hitting (.324) and doubles (16) and is third in stolen bases (18) while starting all 60 games in the outfield.
FUNKHOUSER SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS AS FRIDAY NIGHT ACE
A year after earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors as a contributor to the Louisville pitching staff as both a midweek starter and a reliable reliever, sophomore Kyle Funkhouser established himself as the Friday night ace in 2014 while setting a single season school record for wins. Having earned the series-opening start in each of the last 10 weekends of the regular-season, Funkhouser has been terrific throughout 2014 with a 12-2 record and a 1.74 ERA to go with 100 strikeouts in 99.1 innings and 15 total starts. Last season, he was 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched.
LOUISVILLE PLAYS AGGRESSIVE ON THE BASES AGAIN IN 2014
After ranking second in the nation in stolen bases in last season with 150 in 196 attempts, Louisville has continued the aggressiveness on the bases in 2014 ranking second nationally with 121 steals in 153 attempts entering the week. The Cardinals are paced by junior Sutton Whiting, who ranks fifth in the nation in stolen bases with 33 in 39 attempts despite missing six games with an injury. Grant Kay is 21-for-24 on steals, Cole Sturgeon is 18-of-23 and Colin Lyman is 10-for-13 giving Louisville four players with 10 or more stolen bases.
FUNKHOUSER EARNS INVITATION TO TEAM USA TRAINING CAMP
It was announced on May 19 that Kyle Funkhouser earned an invitation to compete for a roster spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. He is slated to participate in the team's training camp starting June 19, while the final 24-man roster will be announced on June 29. Funkhouser becomes the seventh Louisville player to earn an invitation from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team joining Nick Burdi (2013), Ryan Wright (2010), Phil Wunderlich (2009), Tony Zych (2009), Justin Marks (2008) and Mark Jurich (2002). Overall, Funkhouser is the 14th player coached or signed by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell to earn international baseball experience. In 2009, McDonnell served as an assistant coach for the USA National Team, which finished with a 19-5 record overall and won the World Baseball Challenge in Canada.
STURGEON NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR DICK HOWSER AWARD
On May 16, Cole Sturgeon was named as a semifinalist for the 2014 Dick Howser Award, given annually to the top player in collegiate baseball by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. This is the 28th year of the Dick Howser Trophy with two rounds of national voting determining the winner. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 5. The 2014 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the fourth year. The winner will be unveiled on Saturday, June 14 at 10 a.m. CT, the opening day of the 2014 CWS.
GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD 30-MAN WATCH LIST INCLUDED BURDI
Nick Burdi was named to the 30-man Golden Spikes Award watch list released on May 8 by USA Baseball. Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The watch list will continue to be a "rolling" list until May 27 -- when the semifinalists for the award are announced -- ensuring that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the award. The Golden Spikes Award trophy will be awarded live in Los Angeles on July 17.
GARDNER SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR 2014 SENIOR CLASS AWARD®
Louisville senior outfielder Jeff Gardner was one of 10 finalists announced on April 30 for the prestigious 2014 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate baseball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Finalists were chosen by national media from the list of 30 candidates announced in March. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through June 9. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2014 College World Series® in June. To vote for Gardner, visit http://www.seniorclassaward.com/athletes/jeff_gardner/ and click on the "Vote Now" button.
FOLLOWING THE CARDINALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
