Cardinals Complete Final Prep for NCAA Regional
May 28, 2015 | Baseball
NCAA Louisville Regional Practice Day Photo Gallery
GAME DAY INFO: #3 Louisville (43-16, 25-5 ACC) at 2015 NCAA Regional
Date: May 29-June 1, 2015
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium
Live Stats: GoCards.com
Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball
NCAA Baseball Louisville Regional Schedule
Friday, May 29 | (ESPN3)
Game 1: No. 2 Bradley vs. No. 3 Michigan - 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Morehead State - 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 30 | (ESPN3)
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - Noon
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 31 | (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 1 | (ESPN3) - If necessary
Game 7: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner - 6 p.m.
All times are Eastern Daylight Savings
? 2015 NCAA Baseball Championship Bracket: Interactive | Printable
? Louisville Baseball Game Notes (NCAA Regional) | Media Center
? Tournament Central | Parking/Shuttle Info
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Chosen as the No. 3 national seed, the Louisville baseball team begins the drive for a third straight College World Series berth by hosting an NCAA Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium for third consecutive season and the fifth time in seven years.
The top-seeded Cardinals (43-16) will host No. 4 Morehead State (38-20) on Friday at 6 p.m., ET, while the Louisville Regional will open with No. 2 Bradley (35-19) against No. 3 Michigan (37-23) on Friday at 2 p.m. Every game of the Louisville Regional will be televised live through ESPN3 at WatchESPN.com. All of Louisville's postseason games will be carried live on 93.9 The Ville, while live scoring will be available through Gametracker at GoCards.com.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
In its inaugural season in the ACC, Louisville dominated the Atlantic Division in record-setting fashion with a 25-5 mark. For the Cardinals, it was their fourth straight regular season conference championship, including each of the last three in different leagues.
Along with the 2015 NCAA Regional, Louisville also hosted the NCAA regional round in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014 while also hosting NCAA Super Regional series in 2007 and 2014. This will mark the Cardinals' eighth postseason berth in the last nine seasons and the program's ninth NCAA appearance overall.
The Cardinals were 25-6 at home this season and are 273-88 all-time at Jim Patterson Stadium, which opened in April 2005. Louisville has won eight straight NCAA postseason home games and is 15-4 in regional and super regional games at the ballpark.
NATIONAL SEED FOR THE SECOND TIME
For the second time in school history, Louisville was tabbed by the NCAA Division I Selection Committee as a national seed for the 2015 NCAA Championship. Named as the No. 7 national seed in 2010, the Cardinals ranked second in the nation in RPI top 50 wins in 2015 with 18 (18-9 record overall) and was 12th overall in the RPI. In the final push prior to the selection of the field of 64 teams, Louisville had the 36th-ranked strength of schedule.
ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONS
Making its debut as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Cardinals made history setting a league record for conference wins in a single season with the 25-5 mark. Louisville finished three games clear of Miami (22-8) for the best record in the ACC and was eight games ahead of Atlantic Division runners-up Florida State and Notre Dame (17-13 each). Along with setting an ACC record for wins, Louisville also set a school record for conference victories in a single season surpassing the previous mark of 21.
ANOTHER 40-WIN SEASON IN LOUISVILLE
The win over Florida State on May 10 clinched Louisville's fourth straight 40-win season and the eighth in nine years under the direction of head coach Dan McDonnell. The Cardinals have finished with 40 or more regular season wins in three straight seasons and five times in the last seven seasons overall. Louisville set a school record for regular season wins in 2010 and equaled the total in 2013 registering 46-10 marks in each of those years prior to starting the postseason.
NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY AT JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
The 2015 Louisville Regional marks the seventh different round of the NCAA Championship contested at Jim Patterson Stadium, including the fifth regional in seven years. Along with winning eight straight NCAA postseason home games, the Cardinals are 15-4 all-time in regional and super regional games at the ballpark. Here is Louisville's NCAA postseason history at home.
? 2014 NCAA Super Regional - Super Regional champion (2-0)
? 2014 NCAA Regional - Regional champion (3-0)
? 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)
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
? The Cardinals faced 11 teams in this year's NCAA Championship field and was 16-10 overall against those foes.
? Through 59 games this season, the Louisville bullpen has a 1.69 ERA with a 21-0 record, 216 strikeouts to just 90 walks in 207.2 innings and opposing batters are hitting only .165.
? In 30 ACC games, the Cardinals had a staff ERA of 2.66 with 258 strikeouts in 277.0 innings.
? Louisville has won 136 straight games when entering the ninth inning with a lead dating back to May 2012. The Cardinals were 43-0 last season and 46-0 in 2013 when leading after the eighth.
? The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 34 of 59 games this season. Last season, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the feat in 36 of 65 games.
? Louisville is 29-0 this season when scoring first and 14-0 when scoring in the first inning.
? From March 21 to April 10 of this season, the Cardinals played 83 consecutive innings against ACC opponents without trailing.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
? Corey Ray leads the Cardinals in several offensive categories highlighted by his 11 home runs, 48 RBI, 45 runs scored and 32 stolen bases while starting all three outfield positions.
? Seven of Ray's 11 home runs this season have either tied the score or given Louisville a lead.
? Kyle Funkhouser continues to climb up Louisville's career pitching charts ranking second in wins (25), second in strikeouts (270), seventh in starts (39) and seventh in innings pitched (273.1). He also holds the school record for single season wins with 13 in 2014.
? As the first player in Dan McDonnell's nine seasons to start on the mound and play virtually every day as a position player/hitter, freshman Brendan McKay is 8-3 with four saves, a 1.76 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 82.0 innings pitched (18 appearances, 11 starts.). Twice this season he has struck out 12 batters in a single game. At the plate, he is hitting .319 with three home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs scored and 35 walks in 52 starts as a hitter.
? In his last 12 starts on the mound, Josh Rogers is 7-0 with a 2.36 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched. In 10 ACC starts, he was 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA.
? Nick Solak had his career-best 20-game hitting streak halted on May 2 at Clemson, however he continues to produce for the Cardinals carrying a team-leading .327 average with a team-high 15 doubles, two home runs, 37 RBI, 41 runs scored and 18 stolen bases. In 30 ACC games, Solak hit .339 with 10 doubles, 21 RBI and 24 runs scored.
? Solak has four career home runs with three either tying the score or giving Louisville a lead.
LOUISVILLE ONE OF NINE TO HOST FIVE NCAA REGIONALS IN SEVEN YEARS
Louisville is one of just nine Division I schools to have hosted five or more NCAA Regionals over the last seven seasons (since 2009). That list features Florida (6), Florida State (6), Cal State Fullerton (5), Louisville (5), LSU (5), South Carolina (5), TCU (5), UCLA (5) and Virginia (5). Additionally, the Cardinals are among just four teams to host in each of the last three seasons (Florida State, LSU and Vanderbilt).
CARDINALS IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012
The Louisville baseball program has enjoyed a historic run by remaining in at least one of the major national polls every week since the release of the 2012 preseason rankings -- the longest such span in school history. On May 4, the Cardinals earned their highest ranking in school history rising to No. 2 in the D1Baseball and NCBWA polls after opening the season as high as No. 7 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll. The coaches ranking marked the third straight season the Cardinals were positioned in the top 10 in a preseason poll.
Earning a preseason national ranking for the eighth straight season, Louisville was ranked in the top 12 in each of the six preseason national polls in 2015. The Cardinals were also at No. 9 in the Perfect Game preseason Top 25, No. 11 in the D1Baseball Top 25 and No. 12 in both the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball newspaper polls.
MCKAY ACC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, MCDONNELL COACH OF THE YEAR
The Louisville baseball team received a pair of major conference awards on May 18 as two-way standout Brendan McKay was chosen as the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Dan McDonnell was named ACC Coach of the Year.
In addition to earning two of the four major awards, the Cardinals had a league-high five players named to the All-ACC first team to go with two second team selections and two All-Freshman Team honorees as voted by the league's 14 head coaches. McKay (Darlington, Pa.) led the way for Louisville earning All-ACC first team accolades as a starting pitcher, second team accolades as a utility player and All-Freshman team recognition.
The Cardinals were also represented on the All-ACC first team by senior infielder Sutton Whiting, junior starting pitcher Kyle Funkhouser, sophomore relief pitcher Zack Burdi and sophomore outfielder Corey Ray. Sophomore starting pitcher Josh Rogers was named to the second team and righthanded pitcher Lincoln Henzman was chosen for the All-Freshman team.
Louisville finished the regular season at 42-14 overall and set an ACC record for conference wins in a regular season with a 25-5 mark in league play. The Cardinals won all 10 of their ACC league series. This year's honor marks his first Coach of the Year recognition in any of the three conferences in which the Cardinals have competed during his tenure.
FOUR STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLES IN THREE DIFFERENT LEAGUES
On May 9, the Louisville baseball team clinched the 2015 ACC Atlantic Division championship marking the program's fourth straight regular season conference championship, including the last three in different leagues. After finishing with an 18-9 record and sharing the 2012 Big East Conference title with St. John's, the Cardinals stood alone as champions in their final season in the league with a 20-4 mark in 2013. In the program's only season in the American Athletic Conference in 2014, Louisville finished with a 19-5 league record for sole ownership of the inaugural conference title. Overall, the Cardinals have won six regular season conference championships in nine seasons under the direction of head coach Dan McDonnell.
BURDI, RAY ACCEPT INVITES TO USA COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM
Louisville sophomores Zack Burdi and Corey Ray have accepted invitations to the 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and will be members of the 24-player squad this summer. Ray and Burdi become the eighth and ninth Louisville players to earn invitations from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team joining Kyle Funkhouser (2014), Nick Burdi (2013), Ryan Wright (2010), Phil Wunderlich (2009), Tony Zych (2009), Justin Marks (2008) and Mark Jurich (2002). Overall, 16 players coached or signed by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, who served as an assistant with the 2009 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, have earned international baseball experience.
The USA Collegiate National Team will compete in international friendship series against Chinese Taipei and Cuba in North Carolina, as well as participating in the Americas Baseball Festival against the Canadian Senior National Team, the Cuban National Team and the USA Baseball Pan American Games Team. The schedule begins on June 20 and will continue through July 8. Guided by St. John's head coach Ed Blankmeyer, the 2015 USA Collegiate National Team will report to Cary, N.C., on June 18 before kicking off the summer schedule against the Holly Springs Salamanders of the Coastal Plain League on June 20 at the National Training Complex.
LOUISVILLE WELL REPRESENTED ON NATIONAL AWARD WATCH LISTS
With the postseason fast-approaching, numerous national award watch lists have been released and the Louisville baseball program has been well represented. A total of five Cardinals -- Zack Burdi, Kyle Funkhouser, Brendan McKay, Will Smith and Sutton Whiting -- were named to six different national watch lists. Here are more details on each award.
? GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD WATCH LIST: Brendan McKay & Kyle Funkhouser
Freshman pitcher/first baseman Brendan McKay was among 21 players named as semifinalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award on May 22. On April 9, both McKay and junior righty Kyle Funkhouser was named to the 60-player midseason watch list. McKay is the only freshman among the 21 athletes from around the country named as semifinalists for the 38th Golden Spikes Award, sponsored by Major League Baseball and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation to the top amateur baseball player in the U.S.
GoldenSpikesAward.com -- powered by MLB Advanced Media -- is once again the online home for the award. The website features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, voting history, past winner photo galleries, and photographs and biographical information for the 2015 semifinalists. Fans can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 21 players is narrowed to a group of finalists on Tuesday, June 2.
To select the finalists, the list of semifinalists is sent to a voting body consisting of past Golden Spikes Award winners, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2015. This announcement officially marks the opening of voting for amateur baseball fans from across the country on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of names. Voting will be open until Friday, May 29.
The 2015 Golden Spikes Award winner will be named on Tuesday, June 23, at a presentation in Los Angeles. The finalists and their families will be honored at the Rod Dedeaux Foundation Dinner that evening at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.
? BROOKS WALLACE AWARD WATCH LIST: Sutton Whiting
Sutton Whiting was named on April 23 to the initial watch list for the 2015 Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award. The award, sponsored by Mizuno, recognizes the nation's top shortstop and will be presented during the National College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions on June 29 in Lubbock. For more information on the Brooks Wallace Award or the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.
? PITCHER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST: Kyle Funkhouser & Brendan McKay
Kyle Funkhouser and lefthander Brendan McKay were among 46 players named on April 23 to the initial watch list for the Pitcher of the Year Award, presented annually by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The award, sponsored by Diamond, will be presented on June 29 in Lubbock as part of the annual Night of Champions. For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.
? JOHN OLERUD AWARD WATCH LIST: Brendan McKay
Lefty pitcher and first baseman Brendan McKay was named on April 22 to the watch list for the 2015 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, which honors the nation's top player both on the mound and at the plate. The award is named for the former Washington State University standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s, and who was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame's Night of Champions celebration, June 28-29 in Lubbock, Texas.
? STOPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST: Zack Burdi
Zack Burdi was named on April 21 to the midseason watch list for the 11th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. Last season, Louisville's Nick Burdi, the older brother of Zack, was chosen as the NCBWA Stopper of the Year after finishing with a school record 18 saves. The NCBWA will announce five finalists for the 2015 Stopper of the Year - the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts - on Wednesday, June 3, prior to the start of NCAA Super Regional competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced during the 2015 College World Series.
? JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST: Will Smith
On March 11, Louisville sophomore Will Smith was among 75 catchers named to the official watch list for the 2015 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com. Because the award is given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher, the list will be updated to include other candidates until May 4. The watch list will be narrowed to the semifinalists on May 14, while the finalists will be announced June 2. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 18th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2015.
RAY STEALS HOME, HEADLINES IN NINTH INNING AGAINST WAKE
Considered by many to be the most exciting play in baseball, sophomore Corey Ray took it to a new level on April 18 at Jim Patterson Stadium by not only stealing home, but doing it in the bottom of the ninth inning to score the game-winning run and complete a series sweep of visiting Wake Forest. Moments after the Cardinals had tied the game on a wild pitch, Ray charged down the third base line sliding around the attempted tag and across home plate setting off a wild celebration. The play gained national attention as it was not only featured at No. 8 in Sunday's SC Top 10, but was also used by ESPN during its opening segment of SportsCenter that morning.
LOUISVILLE PITCHERS NO. 2 NATIONALLY IN STRIKEOUTS SINCE 2012
Since 2012, Louisville's pitchers rank second in the nation in strikeouts with 2,199 overall entering the week. The Cardinals, with 532 strikeouts through 59 games in 2015, finished with 563 strikeouts last season, had an NCAA best 629 in 2013 and had 474 in 2012. Vanderbilt ranks first since 2012 with 2,216 strikeouts, while NC State (2,158), North Carolina (2,104) and Mississippi State (2,032) round out top five.
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.
