Saturday, June 11
LOUISVILLE, KY
Noon
University of Louisville
vs
UC SANTA BARBARA
Louisville, UCSB Open NCAA Super Regional Saturday
June 10, 2016 | Baseball
No. 2 Cardinals and No. 13 Gauchos open best-of-three series at noon on ESPN2
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville baseball team continues on the Road to Omaha with an NCAA Super Regional showdown against 13th-ranked UC Santa Barbara starting Saturday at noon ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. Game one of the weekend will be televised on ESPN2, while game two of the best-of-three series is slated for Sunday at noon ET on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. If necessary, the deciding third game is scheduled for Monday (ESPN2 or ESPNU) with the time to be determined following Sunday's games.
The victorious team at the Louisville Super Regional will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Radio coverage for all Louisville baseball games in the postseason will be provided by 93.9 The Ville, while live scoring links for all of the Cardinals' NCAA Championship games are available at GoCards.com.
PRACTICE DAY AT THE LOUISVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
The Cardinals completed their preparations for the 2016 NCAA Super Regional in Louisville with a 90-minute practice session on Friday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium. On Thursday, Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, juniors Nick Solak and Will Smith and sophomore Brendan McKay met with reporters during a 25-minute news conference in the Omaha Room. Additionally, McDonnell, McKay, Smith and junior Corey Ray talked with ESPN broadcasters Mike Morgan and Mike Rooney on Friday.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
Hosting an NCAA Super Regional for the third straight season and the fourth time in school history, Louisville enters the second week of the NCAA Championship after sweeping last week's NCAA Regional. The reigning back-to-back ACC Atlantic Division champions have set a school record with 11 shutouts (No. 3 nationally) this season and enters the week ranked second in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings and fourth in ERA. The Cardinals are also fourth nationally in batting average, 11th in on-base percentage and 18th in scoring.
NATIONAL SEED FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON, THIRD TIME OVERALL
For the third time in school history and the second straight season, Louisville was chosen by the NCAA Division I Selection Committee as a national seed for the 2016 NCAA Championship. Named as the No. 7 national seed in 2010 and No. 3 national seed in 2015, the Cardinals led the nation in RPI top 50 wins in 2016 with 20 (20-12 record overall) and was second overall in the RPI.
FIVE STRAIGHT 40-WIN SEASONS AT LOUISVILLE
Winning at least 50 games for the fourth time ever, Louisville has reached the 40-win plateau for the fifth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. The Cardinals have registered 40 or more regular season wins in four consecutive seasons, including matching a school record with 46 regular season wins in 2016 equaling the total accomplished in 2010 and 2013.
BACK-TO-BACK ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS
A year after setting the single season record for ACC wins in its debut campaign with a 25-5 conference mark, Louisville successfully defended its Atlantic Division title by winning seven of its 10 ACC series in 2016. The Cardinals, who have won five straight regular season conference championships, have lost just three of their 20 ACC series the last two seasons while compiling a 47-13 record during that stretch, including a 27-3 mark at home.
FEELING AT HOME INSIDE JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won more than 77 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 313-91 record (.774 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-1 mark this season at the corner of Third and Central.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
• Louisville is one of just nine schools to host an NCAA Super Regional four times in the last 10 years. Overall, the Cardinals are making their ninth NCAA postseason appearance in the last 10 seasons and the program's 10th NCAA appearance overall.
• The Cardinals are among four ACC teams in the NCAA Super Regional round after 10 ACC teams made the 2016 NCAA Championship field.
• Louisville played 12 of the other 63 teams in this year's NCAA Championship field during the regular season going 22-11 against those teams.
• The Cardinals are facing a Big West Conference foe in an NCAA Super Regional for the second straight season and the third time in eight years. Louisville lost to Cal State Fullerton in the 2009 and 2015 NCAA Super Regional matchups.
• Louisville is 22-6 all-time in NCAA postseason games at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals are 5-3 in NCAA Super Regional games at home having won two of the three previous series.
• Making their ninth NCAA Championship appearance in the last 10 seasons under head coach Dan McDonnell, the Cardinals are 28-19 overall in NCAA postseason games during that span.
• During his last 12 seasons as a collegiate coach, including his final two seasons as an assistant at Ole Miss in 2005 and 2006, McDonnell has advanced to eight NCAA Super Regionals.
• In 23 NCAA postseason games during the last four seasons, the Cardinals are 37-of-52 on stolen bases, including 12 of 14 last season. Louisville was 9-for-15 in 2014 and was 8-for-13 in 2013.
• In three career NCAA postseason starts on the mound, Brendan McKay is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA (3 ER in 20.1 IP), 24 strikeouts and just six walks.
• At the plate, McKay is hitting .294 (10-for-34) with two home runs, six RBI and five runs scored in nine NCAA postseason starts as a hitter.
• In 16 career NCAA postseason starts, Nick Solak has a .327 average (18-for-55) with three home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored, 12 walks and three stolen bases.
• During his 16 NCAA Championship starts, Corey Ray has a .338 (21-for-62) batting average with four doubles and 13 RBI.
• In nine career NCAA Championship starts, Devin Hairston is hitting .393 (13-for-33) with five doubles, five RBI and eight runs scored.
• In nine NCAA postseason appearances on the mound, Kyle Funkhouser has a 4-1 record with a 2.52 ERA (13 ER in 46.1 IP) with 37 strikeouts.
• During his nine NCAA postseason games, Will Smith is has a .333 batting average (11-for-33) with one home run and five RBI.
• In the last two seasons, Danny Rosenbaum is hitting .434 (10-of-23) with three home runs, two doubles and seven RBI in eight NCAA postseason games.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• With two wins this weekend, the Cardinals would set a school record for wins in a season (51 in 2013) and clinch the program's fourth CWS berth, including the third in four seasons.
• Louisville enters the NCAA Super Regional riding a 22-game winning streak at home. Nick Solak (.402), Devin Hairston (.392) and Corey Ray (.366, 11 HR, 42 RBI) pace the offense at home. Drew Harrington and Brendan McKay are both 9-0 at home, while Kade McClure is 7-0.
• Collectively, the Cardinals are hitting .323 (No. 4 nationally entering the week) with eight players hitting .319 or better while starting at least 27 games.
• Louisville has won 186 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 are 100-of-124 on stolen bases this season (15th nationally entering the week) continuing the aggressive approach from Dan McDonnell. Louisville was fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases last season, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
• Conversely, Louisville's opponents are just 22-for-46 on stolen bases this season as Will Smith has thrown out 12 of 26 attempts.
• Louisville has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 62 games this season, a feat achieved in 36 of 65 games last season. In 2014, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the task in 36 of 65 games.
• The Cardinals entered the week ranked second in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings, third in sacrifice flies, fourth in batting average, fourth in ERA, fifth in doubles, fifth in slugging percentage, sixth in WHIP, 11th in on-base percentage, 18th in fielding percentage, 18th in scoring, 21st in home runs, 23rd in hit-by-pitch, 25th in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 30th in triples.
• Louisville closed the regular season leading the ACC in batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, doubles, RBI and opponents' batting average.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
Corey Ray: Entered the week ranked second in the nation in stolen bases, 25th in total bases and 31st in home runs.
• 12 of Ray's 27 career home runs have either tied the score or given Louisville a lead.
• In the first inning this season (all in the leadoff spot), Ray is hitting .338 with three home runs and 14 runs scored.
Blake Tiberi: Second on team with 14 multiple-RBI games and 27 multiple-hit games.
Devin Hairston: All-ACC Third Team honoree ranks 11th in the ACC in hitting, 13th in runs.
Nick Solak: Received All-ACC Second Team honors and ranks third on the team in runs scored despite missing 17 games with hand injury.
• Had reached base safely in 33 straight games before the streak ended March 25 against Virginia after departing in the third inning with a bone bruise on his right hand.
Will Smith: Entered the week ranked third in the ACC in hitting, seventh in on-base percentage and second in hit by pitch.
Colby Fitch: Delivered four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts this season.
Danny Rosenbaum: Has 15 career home runs, team high 147 career starts and 206 games played while starting 54 games this season, including 26 straight.
Drew Ellis: Redshirt freshman has 29 starts this season in left field, one at third base and one at second base.
Devin Mann: While being called into everyday duty with the injury to Nick Solak, the freshman managed himself well hitting .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored in the 19 starts.
Colin Lyman: Has 46 starts and 59 total games played this season with all 46 starts coming in right field.
Logan Taylor: Has played in 175 career games with 79 starts, including 42 starts this season.
Brendan McKay: Has recorded eight or more strikeouts in 10 of his 16 starts this season and has finished with eight or more strikeouts 17 times in his career.
• McKay ranks among top 15 in the nation with 105 strikeouts this season.
• In his 16 collegiate starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 15-0 with a 1.34 ERA (16 earned runs in 107.0 IP) and 128 strikeouts.
• In 21 career appearances on the mound at home (including 16 starts), McKay is 16-0 with four saves, a 1.27 ERA (16 earned runs in 113.0 IP) and 140 strikeouts.
• At the plate, the All-ACC First Team utility player ranks eighth in the ACC in doubles.
Drew Harrington: ACC Pitcher of the Year has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 13 of 16 starts this season.
• Harrington is tied with Brendan McKay and Kade McClure for fourth nationally in wins.
• In 10 ACC starts, Harrington was 8-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 67.2 innings.
Kyle Funkhouser: Louisville's career leader in wins (35), strikeouts (376), innings pitched (380.2) and starts (56). He also holds the school record for single season wins with 13 in 2014.
• Funkhouser has won six straight starts and registered 97 mph in the sixth inning on May 21.
Kade McClure: Has won 12 of 13 starts and is tied for fourth in the nation in victories. He's also in the top 10 in the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per 9 IP.
Zack Burdi: Named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on May 16 after registering three saves during the week of May 10-15. He finished with nine strikeouts without surrendering a hit or a walk in 4.1 innings of shutout work against a trio of nationally ranked foes during that stretch.
• His 20 career saves rank second all-time at Louisville.
HARRINGTON NAMED ACC PITCHER OF THE YEAR, MCDONNELL REPEATS AS COACH OF THE YEAR
Junior lefthander Drew Harrington was named 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and Dan McDonnell received his second straight ACC Coach of the Year award as the Cardinals led the way on May 23 with nine All-ACC honorees, including five first team selections. Harrington becomes the sixth Louisville player in the last 10 seasons to earn conference pitcher of the year honors as the Cardinals claimed two of the ACC's four major awards for the second consecutive season. The Cardinals also registered five All-ACC First Team selections for the second straight year as Harrington was joined by junior relief pitcher Zack Burdi, junior outfielder Corey Ray and sophomore two-way standout Brendan McKay, who was named to the first team as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter/utility player. Junior second baseman Nick Solak was tabbed as a second team honoree, while junior catcher Will Smith, sophomore shortstop Devin Hairston and sophomore third baseman Blake Tiberi received third team accolades. Additionally, infielder Devin Mann was named to the ACC All-Freshman team.
LOUISVILLE IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012
Louisville 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. The unanimous choice as the No. 2 team in the nation in the six national preseason polls, the Cardinals have received a preseason top 10 ranking in four straight seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and have earned a preseason national ranking in nine straight seasons (2008-2016) overall. The No. 2 ranking was the highest preseason ranking in program history for Louisville, two spots better than their previous preseason high of No. 4 by Baseball America during the 2013 College World Series season. The No. 2 ranking also equaled the best overall ranking in history.
FIVE CARDINALS CHOSEN AS ALL-AMERICANS
The Louisville baseball team has been well represented on the first two All-America teams with five Cardinals receiving honors. A school record four members of the Louisville baseball team earned 2016 Louisville Slugger All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper, highlighted by jDrew Harrington receiving first team recognition. Zack Burdi and Corey Ray were named to the second team, while Brendan McKay earned third team accolades. It marked the first time in school history four Cardinals have received All-America recognition from one organization.
Additionally, a trio of players from the Louisville baseball team received 2016 Baseball America All-America honors with McKay leading the way with first team recognition as a utility player. Ray was named to the second team, while Nick Solak received third team accolades. The Baseball America announcement marked the second All-American honors this season for McKay and Ray, who were Louisville Slugger All-Americans, while Solak was chosen as an All-American for the first time in his collegiate career.
SOLAK EARNS ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Second baseman Nick Solak was named as a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on June 3. A native of Woodridge, Illinois, Solak completed his junior season in the classroom at Louisville with a 3.69 GPA while majoring in finance.
LOUISVILLE, MCDONNELL AGREE ON NEW 10-YEAR CONTRACT
University of Louisville baseball coach Dan McDonnell has agreed to a new contract that will keep him as the Cardinals head coach for the next 10 years, UofL Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom Jurich announced on June 1. McDonnell had five years remaining on his current contract and the new agreement will extend his relationship with UofL through the 2025-26 season. The winningest coach in Louisville baseball history, McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series appearances, six NCAA Super Regional berths and nine NCAA Championship appearances in his 10 seasons.
CARDINALS SET SCHOOL RECORD WITH 11 SHUTOUTS IN 2016
With its 2-0 win over No. 10 NC State on May 13, the Louisville baseball team set a school record with its 11th shutout of the season breaking the previous mark of 10 set during the 2010 season. The Cardinals rank second nationally with the 11 shutouts, while five of those shutouts have come against ACC foes. The starting pitcher breakdown in those 11 shutouts includes four each for Drew Harrington and Brendan McKay, two for Kade McClure and one for Kyle Funkhouser.
LOUISVILLE HONORS SENIORS FUNKHOUSER, KIDSTON AND ROSENBAUM
Prior to the May 15 home game against NC State, the Louisville baseball program honored the senior trio of pitchers Kyle Funkhouser and Anthony Kidston and infielder Danny Rosenbaum. The 2016 senior class has accumulated 190 wins, three conference championships, three straight NCAA Regionals at home, three straight NCAA Super Regional appearances and two College World Series berths.
TRIPLE DIGITS ON THE RADAR GUN FOR BURDI
Junior righty closer Zack Burdi has reached 100 mph on the Jim Patterson Stadium radar gun on four different occasions this season, including back-to-back games against NC State on May 13-14. Burdi also registered 100 on multiple pitches during the ACC Championship on May 28 in Durham, 100 mph at Wake Forest on May 19, 101 mph at Vanderbilt's Hawkins Field on May 10, 100 mph multiple times at North Carolina's Boshamer Stadium and 100 mph once on the official radar gun at Florida State's Dick Howser Stadium on April 9. Last season, Burdi touched 101 mph on the scoreboard at Clemson's Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
MCKAY, HAIRSTON ACCEPT INVITES TO USA COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM
Sophomore Brendan McKay has accepted an invitation to compete for the 2016 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer, while Devin Hairston has earned an opportunity to compete for a roster spot during the team's training camp. It will mark the second straight year McKay has played for Team USA. Guided by University of Oregon head coach George Horton, the USA Collegiate National Team will conduct a training camp in Southern California from June 28-July 2 before visiting Taiwan (July 5-9), Japan (July 12-17) and Cuba (July 22-26) for a series of games. The trip to Japan will include the 40th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series.
With the addition of McKay and Hairston, Louisville players have earned 12 invitations from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team overall including Zack Burdi (2015), Corey Ray (2015), Kyle Funkhouser (2014), Nick Burdi (2013), Ryan Wright (2010), Phil Wunderlich (2009), Tony Zych (2009), Justin Marks (2008) and Mark Jurich (2002). It marked the 20th time a player coached or signed by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, who served as an assistant with the 2009 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, has earned international baseball experience.
STRONG WORK IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES FOR THE CARDINALS
The 2016 spring semester proved to be another good one for the Louisville baseball team in the classroom as the Cardinals earned a cumulative team GPA of 3.130 marking the 10th straight semester (5 consecutive years overall) the team has finished with a 3.0 GPG or higher as a group. A total of 27 Louisville players finished the fall semester with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
LOUISVILLE AMONG SEVEN TO HOST SIX REGIONALS IN EIGHT YEARS
Louisville is one of just seven Division I schools to have hosted six or more NCAA Regionals over the last eight seasons (since 2009). That list features Florida (7), Florida State (7), Louisville (6), LSU (6), South Carolina (6), TCU (6) and Virginia (6). Additionally, the Cardinals are among just four teams to host in each of the last four seasons (Florida State, LSU and Vanderbilt).
FOUR ACC PLAYER, PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS IN 2016
The Louisville baseball team has accumulated four Atlantic Coast Conference Player or Pitcher of the Week honors this season with junior righthander Zack Burdi becoming the latest addition to that group. Burdi was named as the Pitcher of the Week on May 16, while junior outfielder Corey Ray has received a pair of ACC Player of the Week honors on Feb. 22 and March 28. Additionally, sophomore Brendan McKay was tabbed as the ACC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 29. The Cardinals also received four ACC weekly honors last season.
FIVE LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ALUMNI EARN MLB CALLS IN 2016
The 2016 Major League Baseball season has started fast for Louisville baseball alumni as five former Cardinals have gotten the call-up to the big leagues. Adam Duvall (Cincinnati Reds) and Tony Zych (Seattle Mariners) were on opening day rosters while Cody Ege (Miami Marlins), Dean Kiekhefer (St. Louis Cardinals) and Chad Green (Yankees) have been promoted to their respective MLB clubs this season.
LOUISVILLE ON THE NATIONAL WATCH LISTS
• GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD: Brendan McKay & Corey Ray
Corey Ray and Brendan McKay were named on June 1 as semifinalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. Nick Solak was previously on the midseason watch list but was not among the finalists for the award, given annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player. The 2016 Golden Spikes Award winner will be named on Thursday, June 30, 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.
• DICK HOWSER TROPHY: Drew Harrington, Brendan McKay, Corey Ray & Nick Solak
Louisville led all programs with four players named as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy as announced May 20 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Drew Harrington, Brendan McKay, Corey Ray and Nick Solak were among the 43 semifinalists for the award, given to the top player in collegiate baseball. This is the 30th year of the Dick Howser Trophy. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 9. The 2016 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the sixth year. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Friday, June 17 and then a press conference with the winner will be held on Saturday, June 18 at 10 a.m. (CDT), the opening day of the 2016 CWS.
• JOHN OLERUD TWO-WAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brendan McKay
Brendan McKay, the reigning John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, was named May 10 by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame to the Top 18 list for this season's Olerud 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 July 1-2 in Lubbock.
• NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Drew Harrington, Kade McClure & Brendan McKay
Drew Harrington, Kade McClure and Brendan McKay remained on the updated watch list on May 11 for the 2016 National Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The award will be presented on July 2 in Lubbock as part of the annual Night of Champions event. Louisville is among five schools with three representatives on the watch list joining Florida, South Carolina, TCU and Vanderbilt. The Southeastern Conference features 16 representatives, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11.
• BROOKS WALLACE SHORTSTOP OF THE YEAR: Devin Hairston
Devin Hairston was named April 21 to the initial 2016 watch list for the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented as part of the annual Night of Champions celebration on July 2 in Lubbock. "To see so many younger guys already being really competitive at the shortstop position is exciting," said Tyler Young, Wallace Award co-chair. "While there are plenty of experienced players on the watch list, it's great to see the success some of these freshmen and sophomores are having."
• STOPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Zack Burdi
Zack Burdi was named on June 8 as one of five finalists for the 12th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced at the 2016 College World Series. Previous winners of the award include former Louisville standout and 2014 recipient Nick Burdi, older brother of Zack.
• JOHNNY BENCH AWARD: Will Smith
Will Smith was named March 9 to the official watch list for the 2016 Johnny Bench Award as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The award is given annually to the top NCAA Division I catcher. The watch list was narrowed to the semifinalists on May 18, 2016 and Smith narrowly missed on meeting the qualification of starting at least 75 percent of his team's games.
CARDINALS STEAL HOME IN BACK-TO-BACK SEASONS
Under head coach Dan McDonnell, Louisville has earned a reputation for being among the nation's most aggressive teams on the bases and that approach has helped the Cardinals steal home in each of the last two seasons. On March 16 of this season, junior Logan Taylor capped Louisville's five-run fifth inning against Wright State by stealing home in a play that landed at No. 3 on the SportsCenter Top 10 the following morning. Even more amazing is that Taylor's accomplishment marked the second time in 11 months the Cardinals had stolen home as Corey Ray achieved the feat on April 18, 2015 against Wake Forest.
Not only did Ray steal home, but he did it in the bottom of the ninth to score the game-winning run and complete a series sweep of the visiting Demon Deacons. 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. The play was featured at No. 8 in on the SC Top 10 on April 19 and was also used by ESPN during its opening segment of SportsCenter that morning.
The person with the best view of the two swipes of home was Will Smith, who was at the plate for each of the dramatic plays. Who better to hold his ground in the box as a teammate came sliding across the plate than Louisville's primary catcher during the last two seasons.
FUNKHOUSER SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Kyle Funkhouser was named April 26 as a finalist for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate baseball. Funkhouser was among 10 baseball student-athletes, who excel both on and off the diamond, selected as finalists for the prestigious award. Funkhouser becomes the second Louisville player in the last three seasons to be chosen as a finalist for the award joining former Cardinals outfielder Jeff Gardner, a finalist for the honor in 2014. To be eligible, 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 7. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. This year's Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2016 College World Series® in June. For more information on all of the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
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.
The victorious team at the Louisville Super Regional will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Radio coverage for all Louisville baseball games in the postseason will be provided by 93.9 The Ville, while live scoring links for all of the Cardinals' NCAA Championship games are available at GoCards.com.
PRACTICE DAY AT THE LOUISVILLE SUPER REGIONAL
The Cardinals completed their preparations for the 2016 NCAA Super Regional in Louisville with a 90-minute practice session on Friday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium. On Thursday, Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, juniors Nick Solak and Will Smith and sophomore Brendan McKay met with reporters during a 25-minute news conference in the Omaha Room. Additionally, McDonnell, McKay, Smith and junior Corey Ray talked with ESPN broadcasters Mike Morgan and Mike Rooney on Friday.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
| GAME DAY INFORMATION 2016 NCAA Super Regional Location: Louisville, Ky. Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | UCSB Saturday, June 11 | Noon ET | Live Stats TV: ESPN2 (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville (Listen) LOU: So. LHP Brendan McKay (12-3, 2.12 ERA) UCSB: Jr. RHP Shane Bieber (11-3, 2.86 ERA) Sunday, June 12 | Noon ET | Live Stats TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville (Listen) LOU: TBD UCSB: TBD Monday, June 13 | Time TBD | Live Stats TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville (Listen) LOU: TBD UCSB: TBD |
Hosting an NCAA Super Regional for the third straight season and the fourth time in school history, Louisville enters the second week of the NCAA Championship after sweeping last week's NCAA Regional. The reigning back-to-back ACC Atlantic Division champions have set a school record with 11 shutouts (No. 3 nationally) this season and enters the week ranked second in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings and fourth in ERA. The Cardinals are also fourth nationally in batting average, 11th in on-base percentage and 18th in scoring.
NATIONAL SEED FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON, THIRD TIME OVERALL
For the third time in school history and the second straight season, Louisville was chosen by the NCAA Division I Selection Committee as a national seed for the 2016 NCAA Championship. Named as the No. 7 national seed in 2010 and No. 3 national seed in 2015, the Cardinals led the nation in RPI top 50 wins in 2016 with 20 (20-12 record overall) and was second overall in the RPI.
FIVE STRAIGHT 40-WIN SEASONS AT LOUISVILLE
Winning at least 50 games for the fourth time ever, Louisville has reached the 40-win plateau for the fifth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. The Cardinals have registered 40 or more regular season wins in four consecutive seasons, including matching a school record with 46 regular season wins in 2016 equaling the total accomplished in 2010 and 2013.
BACK-TO-BACK ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS
A year after setting the single season record for ACC wins in its debut campaign with a 25-5 conference mark, Louisville successfully defended its Atlantic Division title by winning seven of its 10 ACC series in 2016. The Cardinals, who have won five straight regular season conference championships, have lost just three of their 20 ACC series the last two seasons while compiling a 47-13 record during that stretch, including a 27-3 mark at home.
FEELING AT HOME INSIDE JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won more than 77 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 313-91 record (.774 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-1 mark this season at the corner of Third and Central.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
• Louisville is one of just nine schools to host an NCAA Super Regional four times in the last 10 years. Overall, the Cardinals are making their ninth NCAA postseason appearance in the last 10 seasons and the program's 10th NCAA appearance overall.
• The Cardinals are among four ACC teams in the NCAA Super Regional round after 10 ACC teams made the 2016 NCAA Championship field.
• Louisville played 12 of the other 63 teams in this year's NCAA Championship field during the regular season going 22-11 against those teams.
• The Cardinals are facing a Big West Conference foe in an NCAA Super Regional for the second straight season and the third time in eight years. Louisville lost to Cal State Fullerton in the 2009 and 2015 NCAA Super Regional matchups.
• Louisville is 22-6 all-time in NCAA postseason games at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals are 5-3 in NCAA Super Regional games at home having won two of the three previous series.
• Making their ninth NCAA Championship appearance in the last 10 seasons under head coach Dan McDonnell, the Cardinals are 28-19 overall in NCAA postseason games during that span.
• During his last 12 seasons as a collegiate coach, including his final two seasons as an assistant at Ole Miss in 2005 and 2006, McDonnell has advanced to eight NCAA Super Regionals.
• In 23 NCAA postseason games during the last four seasons, the Cardinals are 37-of-52 on stolen bases, including 12 of 14 last season. Louisville was 9-for-15 in 2014 and was 8-for-13 in 2013.
• In three career NCAA postseason starts on the mound, Brendan McKay is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA (3 ER in 20.1 IP), 24 strikeouts and just six walks.
• At the plate, McKay is hitting .294 (10-for-34) with two home runs, six RBI and five runs scored in nine NCAA postseason starts as a hitter.
• In 16 career NCAA postseason starts, Nick Solak has a .327 average (18-for-55) with three home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored, 12 walks and three stolen bases.
• During his 16 NCAA Championship starts, Corey Ray has a .338 (21-for-62) batting average with four doubles and 13 RBI.
• In nine career NCAA Championship starts, Devin Hairston is hitting .393 (13-for-33) with five doubles, five RBI and eight runs scored.
• In nine NCAA postseason appearances on the mound, Kyle Funkhouser has a 4-1 record with a 2.52 ERA (13 ER in 46.1 IP) with 37 strikeouts.
• During his nine NCAA postseason games, Will Smith is has a .333 batting average (11-for-33) with one home run and five RBI.
• In the last two seasons, Danny Rosenbaum is hitting .434 (10-of-23) with three home runs, two doubles and seven RBI in eight NCAA postseason games.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• With two wins this weekend, the Cardinals would set a school record for wins in a season (51 in 2013) and clinch the program's fourth CWS berth, including the third in four seasons.
• Louisville enters the NCAA Super Regional riding a 22-game winning streak at home. Nick Solak (.402), Devin Hairston (.392) and Corey Ray (.366, 11 HR, 42 RBI) pace the offense at home. Drew Harrington and Brendan McKay are both 9-0 at home, while Kade McClure is 7-0.
• Collectively, the Cardinals are hitting .323 (No. 4 nationally entering the week) with eight players hitting .319 or better while starting at least 27 games.
• Louisville has won 186 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 are 100-of-124 on stolen bases this season (15th nationally entering the week) continuing the aggressive approach from Dan McDonnell. Louisville was fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases last season, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
• Conversely, Louisville's opponents are just 22-for-46 on stolen bases this season as Will Smith has thrown out 12 of 26 attempts.
• Louisville has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 62 games this season, a feat achieved in 36 of 65 games last season. In 2014, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the task in 36 of 65 games.
• The Cardinals entered the week ranked second in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings, third in sacrifice flies, fourth in batting average, fourth in ERA, fifth in doubles, fifth in slugging percentage, sixth in WHIP, 11th in on-base percentage, 18th in fielding percentage, 18th in scoring, 21st in home runs, 23rd in hit-by-pitch, 25th in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 30th in triples.
• Louisville closed the regular season leading the ACC in batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, doubles, RBI and opponents' batting average.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
Corey Ray: Entered the week ranked second in the nation in stolen bases, 25th in total bases and 31st in home runs.
• 12 of Ray's 27 career home runs have either tied the score or given Louisville a lead.
• In the first inning this season (all in the leadoff spot), Ray is hitting .338 with three home runs and 14 runs scored.
Blake Tiberi: Second on team with 14 multiple-RBI games and 27 multiple-hit games.
Devin Hairston: All-ACC Third Team honoree ranks 11th in the ACC in hitting, 13th in runs.
Nick Solak: Received All-ACC Second Team honors and ranks third on the team in runs scored despite missing 17 games with hand injury.
• Had reached base safely in 33 straight games before the streak ended March 25 against Virginia after departing in the third inning with a bone bruise on his right hand.
Will Smith: Entered the week ranked third in the ACC in hitting, seventh in on-base percentage and second in hit by pitch.
Colby Fitch: Delivered four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts this season.
Danny Rosenbaum: Has 15 career home runs, team high 147 career starts and 206 games played while starting 54 games this season, including 26 straight.
Drew Ellis: Redshirt freshman has 29 starts this season in left field, one at third base and one at second base.
Devin Mann: While being called into everyday duty with the injury to Nick Solak, the freshman managed himself well hitting .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored in the 19 starts.
Colin Lyman: Has 46 starts and 59 total games played this season with all 46 starts coming in right field.
Logan Taylor: Has played in 175 career games with 79 starts, including 42 starts this season.
Brendan McKay: Has recorded eight or more strikeouts in 10 of his 16 starts this season and has finished with eight or more strikeouts 17 times in his career.
• McKay ranks among top 15 in the nation with 105 strikeouts this season.
• In his 16 collegiate starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 15-0 with a 1.34 ERA (16 earned runs in 107.0 IP) and 128 strikeouts.
• In 21 career appearances on the mound at home (including 16 starts), McKay is 16-0 with four saves, a 1.27 ERA (16 earned runs in 113.0 IP) and 140 strikeouts.
• At the plate, the All-ACC First Team utility player ranks eighth in the ACC in doubles.
Drew Harrington: ACC Pitcher of the Year has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 13 of 16 starts this season.
• Harrington is tied with Brendan McKay and Kade McClure for fourth nationally in wins.
• In 10 ACC starts, Harrington was 8-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 67.2 innings.
Kyle Funkhouser: Louisville's career leader in wins (35), strikeouts (376), innings pitched (380.2) and starts (56). He also holds the school record for single season wins with 13 in 2014.
• Funkhouser has won six straight starts and registered 97 mph in the sixth inning on May 21.
Kade McClure: Has won 12 of 13 starts and is tied for fourth in the nation in victories. He's also in the top 10 in the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per 9 IP.
Zack Burdi: Named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on May 16 after registering three saves during the week of May 10-15. He finished with nine strikeouts without surrendering a hit or a walk in 4.1 innings of shutout work against a trio of nationally ranked foes during that stretch.
• His 20 career saves rank second all-time at Louisville.
HARRINGTON NAMED ACC PITCHER OF THE YEAR, MCDONNELL REPEATS AS COACH OF THE YEAR
Junior lefthander Drew Harrington was named 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and Dan McDonnell received his second straight ACC Coach of the Year award as the Cardinals led the way on May 23 with nine All-ACC honorees, including five first team selections. Harrington becomes the sixth Louisville player in the last 10 seasons to earn conference pitcher of the year honors as the Cardinals claimed two of the ACC's four major awards for the second consecutive season. The Cardinals also registered five All-ACC First Team selections for the second straight year as Harrington was joined by junior relief pitcher Zack Burdi, junior outfielder Corey Ray and sophomore two-way standout Brendan McKay, who was named to the first team as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter/utility player. Junior second baseman Nick Solak was tabbed as a second team honoree, while junior catcher Will Smith, sophomore shortstop Devin Hairston and sophomore third baseman Blake Tiberi received third team accolades. Additionally, infielder Devin Mann was named to the ACC All-Freshman team.
LOUISVILLE IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012
Louisville 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. The unanimous choice as the No. 2 team in the nation in the six national preseason polls, the Cardinals have received a preseason top 10 ranking in four straight seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and have earned a preseason national ranking in nine straight seasons (2008-2016) overall. The No. 2 ranking was the highest preseason ranking in program history for Louisville, two spots better than their previous preseason high of No. 4 by Baseball America during the 2013 College World Series season. The No. 2 ranking also equaled the best overall ranking in history.
FIVE CARDINALS CHOSEN AS ALL-AMERICANS
The Louisville baseball team has been well represented on the first two All-America teams with five Cardinals receiving honors. A school record four members of the Louisville baseball team earned 2016 Louisville Slugger All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper, highlighted by jDrew Harrington receiving first team recognition. Zack Burdi and Corey Ray were named to the second team, while Brendan McKay earned third team accolades. It marked the first time in school history four Cardinals have received All-America recognition from one organization.
Additionally, a trio of players from the Louisville baseball team received 2016 Baseball America All-America honors with McKay leading the way with first team recognition as a utility player. Ray was named to the second team, while Nick Solak received third team accolades. The Baseball America announcement marked the second All-American honors this season for McKay and Ray, who were Louisville Slugger All-Americans, while Solak was chosen as an All-American for the first time in his collegiate career.
SOLAK EARNS ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Second baseman Nick Solak was named as a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on June 3. A native of Woodridge, Illinois, Solak completed his junior season in the classroom at Louisville with a 3.69 GPA while majoring in finance.
LOUISVILLE, MCDONNELL AGREE ON NEW 10-YEAR CONTRACT
University of Louisville baseball coach Dan McDonnell has agreed to a new contract that will keep him as the Cardinals head coach for the next 10 years, UofL Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom Jurich announced on June 1. McDonnell had five years remaining on his current contract and the new agreement will extend his relationship with UofL through the 2025-26 season. The winningest coach in Louisville baseball history, McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series appearances, six NCAA Super Regional berths and nine NCAA Championship appearances in his 10 seasons.
CARDINALS SET SCHOOL RECORD WITH 11 SHUTOUTS IN 2016
With its 2-0 win over No. 10 NC State on May 13, the Louisville baseball team set a school record with its 11th shutout of the season breaking the previous mark of 10 set during the 2010 season. The Cardinals rank second nationally with the 11 shutouts, while five of those shutouts have come against ACC foes. The starting pitcher breakdown in those 11 shutouts includes four each for Drew Harrington and Brendan McKay, two for Kade McClure and one for Kyle Funkhouser.
LOUISVILLE HONORS SENIORS FUNKHOUSER, KIDSTON AND ROSENBAUM
Prior to the May 15 home game against NC State, the Louisville baseball program honored the senior trio of pitchers Kyle Funkhouser and Anthony Kidston and infielder Danny Rosenbaum. The 2016 senior class has accumulated 190 wins, three conference championships, three straight NCAA Regionals at home, three straight NCAA Super Regional appearances and two College World Series berths.
TRIPLE DIGITS ON THE RADAR GUN FOR BURDI
Junior righty closer Zack Burdi has reached 100 mph on the Jim Patterson Stadium radar gun on four different occasions this season, including back-to-back games against NC State on May 13-14. Burdi also registered 100 on multiple pitches during the ACC Championship on May 28 in Durham, 100 mph at Wake Forest on May 19, 101 mph at Vanderbilt's Hawkins Field on May 10, 100 mph multiple times at North Carolina's Boshamer Stadium and 100 mph once on the official radar gun at Florida State's Dick Howser Stadium on April 9. Last season, Burdi touched 101 mph on the scoreboard at Clemson's Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
MCKAY, HAIRSTON ACCEPT INVITES TO USA COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM
Sophomore Brendan McKay has accepted an invitation to compete for the 2016 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer, while Devin Hairston has earned an opportunity to compete for a roster spot during the team's training camp. It will mark the second straight year McKay has played for Team USA. Guided by University of Oregon head coach George Horton, the USA Collegiate National Team will conduct a training camp in Southern California from June 28-July 2 before visiting Taiwan (July 5-9), Japan (July 12-17) and Cuba (July 22-26) for a series of games. The trip to Japan will include the 40th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series.
With the addition of McKay and Hairston, Louisville players have earned 12 invitations from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team overall including Zack Burdi (2015), Corey Ray (2015), Kyle Funkhouser (2014), Nick Burdi (2013), Ryan Wright (2010), Phil Wunderlich (2009), Tony Zych (2009), Justin Marks (2008) and Mark Jurich (2002). It marked the 20th time a player coached or signed by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, who served as an assistant with the 2009 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, has earned international baseball experience.
STRONG WORK IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES FOR THE CARDINALS
The 2016 spring semester proved to be another good one for the Louisville baseball team in the classroom as the Cardinals earned a cumulative team GPA of 3.130 marking the 10th straight semester (5 consecutive years overall) the team has finished with a 3.0 GPG or higher as a group. A total of 27 Louisville players finished the fall semester with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
LOUISVILLE AMONG SEVEN TO HOST SIX REGIONALS IN EIGHT YEARS
Louisville is one of just seven Division I schools to have hosted six or more NCAA Regionals over the last eight seasons (since 2009). That list features Florida (7), Florida State (7), Louisville (6), LSU (6), South Carolina (6), TCU (6) and Virginia (6). Additionally, the Cardinals are among just four teams to host in each of the last four seasons (Florida State, LSU and Vanderbilt).
FOUR ACC PLAYER, PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS IN 2016
The Louisville baseball team has accumulated four Atlantic Coast Conference Player or Pitcher of the Week honors this season with junior righthander Zack Burdi becoming the latest addition to that group. Burdi was named as the Pitcher of the Week on May 16, while junior outfielder Corey Ray has received a pair of ACC Player of the Week honors on Feb. 22 and March 28. Additionally, sophomore Brendan McKay was tabbed as the ACC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 29. The Cardinals also received four ACC weekly honors last season.
FIVE LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ALUMNI EARN MLB CALLS IN 2016
The 2016 Major League Baseball season has started fast for Louisville baseball alumni as five former Cardinals have gotten the call-up to the big leagues. Adam Duvall (Cincinnati Reds) and Tony Zych (Seattle Mariners) were on opening day rosters while Cody Ege (Miami Marlins), Dean Kiekhefer (St. Louis Cardinals) and Chad Green (Yankees) have been promoted to their respective MLB clubs this season.
LOUISVILLE ON THE NATIONAL WATCH LISTS
• GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD: Brendan McKay & Corey Ray
Corey Ray and Brendan McKay were named on June 1 as semifinalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. Nick Solak was previously on the midseason watch list but was not among the finalists for the award, given annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player. The 2016 Golden Spikes Award winner will be named on Thursday, June 30, 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.
• DICK HOWSER TROPHY: Drew Harrington, Brendan McKay, Corey Ray & Nick Solak
Louisville led all programs with four players named as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy as announced May 20 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Drew Harrington, Brendan McKay, Corey Ray and Nick Solak were among the 43 semifinalists for the award, given to the top player in collegiate baseball. This is the 30th year of the Dick Howser Trophy. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 9. The 2016 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the sixth year. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Friday, June 17 and then a press conference with the winner will be held on Saturday, June 18 at 10 a.m. (CDT), the opening day of the 2016 CWS.
• JOHN OLERUD TWO-WAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brendan McKay
Brendan McKay, the reigning John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, was named May 10 by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame to the Top 18 list for this season's Olerud 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 July 1-2 in Lubbock.
• NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Drew Harrington, Kade McClure & Brendan McKay
Drew Harrington, Kade McClure and Brendan McKay remained on the updated watch list on May 11 for the 2016 National Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The award will be presented on July 2 in Lubbock as part of the annual Night of Champions event. Louisville is among five schools with three representatives on the watch list joining Florida, South Carolina, TCU and Vanderbilt. The Southeastern Conference features 16 representatives, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with 11.
• BROOKS WALLACE SHORTSTOP OF THE YEAR: Devin Hairston
Devin Hairston was named April 21 to the initial 2016 watch list for the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented as part of the annual Night of Champions celebration on July 2 in Lubbock. "To see so many younger guys already being really competitive at the shortstop position is exciting," said Tyler Young, Wallace Award co-chair. "While there are plenty of experienced players on the watch list, it's great to see the success some of these freshmen and sophomores are having."
• STOPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Zack Burdi
Zack Burdi was named on June 8 as one of five finalists for the 12th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced at the 2016 College World Series. Previous winners of the award include former Louisville standout and 2014 recipient Nick Burdi, older brother of Zack.
• JOHNNY BENCH AWARD: Will Smith
Will Smith was named March 9 to the official watch list for the 2016 Johnny Bench Award as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The award is given annually to the top NCAA Division I catcher. The watch list was narrowed to the semifinalists on May 18, 2016 and Smith narrowly missed on meeting the qualification of starting at least 75 percent of his team's games.
CARDINALS STEAL HOME IN BACK-TO-BACK SEASONS
Under head coach Dan McDonnell, Louisville has earned a reputation for being among the nation's most aggressive teams on the bases and that approach has helped the Cardinals steal home in each of the last two seasons. On March 16 of this season, junior Logan Taylor capped Louisville's five-run fifth inning against Wright State by stealing home in a play that landed at No. 3 on the SportsCenter Top 10 the following morning. Even more amazing is that Taylor's accomplishment marked the second time in 11 months the Cardinals had stolen home as Corey Ray achieved the feat on April 18, 2015 against Wake Forest.
Not only did Ray steal home, but he did it in the bottom of the ninth to score the game-winning run and complete a series sweep of the visiting Demon Deacons. 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. The play was featured at No. 8 in on the SC Top 10 on April 19 and was also used by ESPN during its opening segment of SportsCenter that morning.
The person with the best view of the two swipes of home was Will Smith, who was at the plate for each of the dramatic plays. Who better to hold his ground in the box as a teammate came sliding across the plate than Louisville's primary catcher during the last two seasons.
FUNKHOUSER SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Kyle Funkhouser was named April 26 as a finalist for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate baseball. Funkhouser was among 10 baseball student-athletes, who excel both on and off the diamond, selected as finalists for the prestigious award. Funkhouser becomes the second Louisville player in the last three seasons to be chosen as a finalist for the award joining former Cardinals outfielder Jeff Gardner, a finalist for the honor in 2014. To be eligible, 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 7. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. This year's Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2016 College World Series® in June. For more information on all of the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
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.
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