Louisville Hosts Fullerton in Super Regional Showdown
June 04, 2015 | Baseball
Photo Gallery - 2015 Louisville Super Regional Practice Day
GAME DAY INFO: #3 Louisville (46-16) vs. #11 Cal State Fullerton (37-22)
Date: June 6-8, 2015
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000)
Live Stats: GoCards.com
Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball
Saturday, June 6 | 11 a.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville
Web: CardsTV Audio (Listen) | Live Stats: Gametracker
LOU: Jr. RHP Kyle Funkhouser (8-5, 3.25 ERA)
CSF: Jr. RHP Thomas Eshelman (8-5, 1.61 ERA)
Sunday, June 7 | Noon ET
TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville
Web: CardsTV Audio (Listen) | Live Stats: Gametracker
LOU: TBA
CSF: TBA
Monday, June 8 | Time TBD
TV: ESPN or ESPN2 (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville
Web: CardsTV Audio (Listen) | Live Stats: Gametracker
LOU: TBA
CSF: TBA
? 2015 NCAA Baseball Championship Bracket: Interactive | Printable
? Louisville Baseball Game Notes (NCAA Super Regional) | Media Center
? Super Regional Central | Parking, Tickets & Will Call Info
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the third consecutive season, the Louisville baseball program finds itself on the doorstep of the College World Series as No. 3 national seeded Cardinals host 11th-ranked Cal State Fullerton in an NCAA Super Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium.
The Cardinals and Titans open the weekend on Saturday at 11 a.m., ET on ESPN2, while game two of the best-of-three series is scheduled for Sunday at noon on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. If necessary, the deciding third game is set for Monday (ESPN or ESPN2) with the time to be determined after Sunday's game.
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.
Louisville is hosting NCAA postseason games for the ninth time overall after previously hosting NCAA Regionals in 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and NCAA Super Regionals in 2007 and 2014. This is the Cardinals' eighth postseason berth in the last nine seasons and the program's ninth NCAA appearance overall with the first coming in 2002.
The Cardinals are 28-6 at home this season and 276-88 all-time at Jim Patterson Stadium, which opened in April 2005. Louisville has won 11 straight NCAA postseason home games and is 18-4 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 were 12th overall in the RPI. Louisville entered the NCAA Championship with 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 in the 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.
ABOUT THE TITANS
Cal State Fullerton (37-22) clinched its 12th Super Regional berth and its 21st NCAA Regional title by sweeping through the Fullerton Regional last weekend. The Titans won their 20th Big West Conference title finishing with a 19-5 league mark. Cal State Fullerton has won four NCAA championships while making seven College World Series appearances overall. The Titans are 3-0 all-time against Louisville with an NCAA Super Regional sweep in 2009 and a win earlier this season at the Opening Weekend Challenge in Clearwater, Fla.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
? Making their eighth NCAA Championship appearances in the last nine seasons under head coach Dan McDonnell, the Cardinals have a 24-17 record overall in NCAA postseason games during that span.
? During his last 11 seasons as a collegiate coach, including his final two seasons as an assistant at Ole Miss in 2005 and 2006, McDonnell has advanced to seven NCAA Super Regionals.
? Louisville enters the weekend with a 6-3 record in its four previous NCAA Super Regional series defeating Oklahoma State 2-1 in 2007, falling 0-2 at Cal State Fullerton in 2009, winning 2-0 at Vanderbilt in 2013 and winning 2-0 against Kennesaw State last season.
? The Cardinals have won three of their four previous NCAA Super Regionals. In each of those, the winning team in game one of the series has gone on to win the Super Regional and advance to the CWS.
? Following last weekend's NCAA Regional action, Louisville is one of four teams from last year's College World Series field still playing in this year's NCAA Championship. They're joined by TCU, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
? Louisville is among four Atlantic Coast Conference teams to advance to an NCAA Super Regional and is joined by Florida State, Miami and Virginia.
? During last weekend's NCAA Regional, each of Louisville's three starting pitchers worked at least seven innings marking the first time they had done that in a single weekend since April 4-6 at Virginia.
? In 17 NCAA postseason games during the last three seasons, the Cardinals have stolen 25 bases in 35 attempts, including 12 of 14 last season. Louisville is 5-for-8 this season and was 8-for-13 in 2013
? In seven NCAA postseason appearances on the mound, junior Kyle Funkhouser has a 2.90 ERA (10 ER in 31.1 IP) with 26 strikeouts.
? In 17 career NCAA postseason starts, senior Sutton Whiting has scored 16 runs with seven stolen bases in seven tries, three doubles, one triple and seven RBI.
? In 10 career NCAA postseason starts, sophomore Nick Solak has a .312 average (10-for-32) with two home runs, two doubles, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, eight walks and three stolen bases.
? During his 10 NCAA Championship starts, sophomore Corey Ray has hit .371 (13-for-35) with three doubles and eight RBI.
? In his two NCAA postseason starts the last two seasons, sophomore Josh Rogers has a 2-0 record with a 2.07 ERA (three ER in 13.0 IP) and 11 strikeouts.
NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY AT JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
The 2015 Louisville Regional marked the seventh different round of the NCAA Championship contested at Jim Patterson Stadium, including the fifth regional in seven years. Along with winning 11 straight NCAA postseason home games, the Cardinals are 18-4 all-time in regional and super regional games at the ballpark. Here is Louisville's NCAA postseason history at home.
? 2015 NCAA Regional - Regional champion (3-0)
? 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 62 games this season, the Louisville bullpen has a 1.69 ERA with a 22-0 record, 222 strikeouts to just 93 walks in 213.0 innings and opposing batters are hitting only .168.
? In 30 ACC games, the Cardinals had a staff ERA of 2.66 with 258 strikeouts in 277.0 innings.
? Louisville has won 138 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 36 of 62 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 30-0 this season when scoring first and 15-0 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 numerous offensive categories highlighted by his .327 average, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 46 runs and 33 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 (26), second in strikeouts (276), sixth in starts (40) and sixth in innings pitched (280.1). 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 1.71 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 89.2 innings pitched (19 appearances, 12 starts.). Twice this season he has struck out 12 batters in a single game. At the plate, he is hitting .315 with three home runs, 32 RBI, 31 runs scored and 38 walks in 55 starts as a hitter.
? In his last 13 starts on the mound, Josh Rogers is 8-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 79.1 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 .326 average with a team-high 15 doubles, three home runs, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored and 18 stolen bases. In 30 ACC games, Solak hit .339 with 10 doubles, 21 RBI and 24 runs scored.
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, FUNKHOUSER NAMED LOUISVILLE SLUGGER ALL-AMERICANS
Pitchers Zack Burdi and Kyle Funkhouser were named on May 28 as Louisville Slugger Third Team All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. An All-ACC First Team selection, Burdi has served as the Cardinals' closer in 2015 and the hard-throwing righy registered a trio of fastballs at 101 mph on the Doug Klingsmore Stadium radar gun in a save at Clemson on May 3. Funkhouser earned All-American honors for the second straight season and is a two-time all-conference honoree.
MCKAY EARNS NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONOR;
HENZMAN, LELAND JOIN MCKAY AS FRESHMEN ALL-AMERICANS
Louisville lefthanded pitcher and first baseman Brendan McKay was chosen as a national Freshman of the Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper on June 3 while righthanded pitchers Lincoln Henzman and Sean Leland joined him as Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-Americans. McKay was tabbed as one of two Freshman Player of the Year honorees by Collegiate Baseball sharing the accolade with Florida's J.J. Schwarz. He was also among three multiple position athletes selected as a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans. Both Henzman and Leland were tabbed as Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans as relief pitchers.
BURDI, RAY NAMED TO USA COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM;
MCKAY RECEIVES INVITE TO TEAM USA TRAINING CAMP
Louisville sophomores Zack Burdi and Corey Ray have been named to the 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, while freshman Brendan McKay received an invitation to compete for a spot on the 24-man roster. This year's trio takes the total number of Louisville players to earn invitations from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team to 10 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.
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.
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.
