Cardinals Conclude Week One of Omaha Challenge

LOUISVILLE BASEBALL OMAHA CHALLENGE | Zack Burdi

November 25, 2015 | Baseball

White Team and Zack Burdi lead the way following three days of competition

By: Garett Wall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The opening week of the Louisville baseball team's 10th annual Omaha Challenge concluded Tuesday with the White Team pacing the way while junior righthanded pitcher and two-time champion Zack Burdi held the lead in the individual race.

Captain and senior infielder Danny Rosenbaum and his White Team ended the first week with 1,174 points, just 30 points clear of the 1,144 points for the Red Team, captained by junior outfielder Colin Lyman. Individually, Burdi is atop the standings with 99 points, while junior infielder Nick Solak and sophomore pitcher Chandler Dale of the Red Team are next at 94 points each. Senior pitcher Anthony Kidston of the White Team is fourth with 86 points and senior pitcher Kyle Funkhouser of the Red Team rounds out the top five with 85 points.

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The competition started Sunday with the tire flip and tug-of-war events. Junior pitcher Drew Harrington set the pace in the tire flip with a time of 47.75, while Burdi (50.88) and Funkhouser (54.50) followed. In the tug-of-war, the White Team dominated the event winning all four rounds and 50 total points.

On Monday, the early morning shuttle run at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium started day two of competition with Burdi finishing with a winning time of 7:53.17. Junior outfielder Logan Taylor was second with a time 8:04.88, while Solak finished third with a time of 8:04.93. Later that afternoon, the team's competed in a series of go-kart races with the White Team earning the win and the 100 points. The first week of the Omaha Challenge concluded Tuesday with the 75-point bike race, won by the Red Team.

Following this week's Thanksgiving holiday break, the competition will resume Monday with the dodgeball and truck push events. The 2015 Omaha Challenge will conclude Tuesday with the 100-meter swim and the medley. Following the completion of the five days of competition, team and individual winners will be crowned by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell.

OMAHA CHALLENGE TEAMS
Two-time Omaha Challenge individual champion and junior pitcher Zack Burdi was the top overall selection in this year's draft by Rosenbaum for the White Team, while Lyman used his first choice to select junior infielder Nick Solak for the Red Team. Solak was the runner-up to Burdi in last year's Challenge.

Along with Rosenbaum and Burdi, the White Team will feature Anthony Kidston, Drew Harrington, J.D. Mundt, Kade McClure, Josh Stowers, Adam Wolf, Devin Mann, Pat Rumoro, Blake Tiberi, Shane Hummel, Logan Taylor, Lincoln Henzman, Colby Fitch, Sam Bordner, Zeke Pinkham and Austin Clemons. Joining Lyman and Solak on the Red Team are Chandler Dale, Sean Leland, Will Smith, Corey Ray, Mac Welsh, Kyle Funkhosuer, Drew Ellis, Daniel Little, Chris Botsoe, Brendan McKay, Gabe Burchell, Michael Bollmer, Dylan Shoffner, Ryan Smith, Devin Hairston, Jake Sparger and Ryan Summers.

ABOUT THE OMAHA CHALLENGE
Soon 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 conclusion. Sports performance coach Zach Farrel oversees the intense competition, while also motivating his charges to extend themselves to their limits.

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