Louisville at No. 6 in Perfect Game Preseason Top 25
January 11, 2017 | Baseball
Cardinals land a preseason top 10 ranking for the fifth straight season
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville baseball team will enter the 2017 season with a top 10 ranking after landing at No. 6 in the preseason Perfect Game Top 25 released Wednesday morning. The Cardinals have received a preseason top 10 ranking in five straight seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and have earned a preseason national ranking in 10 consecutive seasons (2008-2017) overall.
The only program in the country to advance to an NCAA Super Regional in each of the last four seasons, Louisville has remained ranked in at least one major poll every week since the release of the 2012 preseason rankings -- the longest such stretch in school history. The Perfect Game Top 25 is the second preseason poll released for 2017 following last month's release of the Collegiate Baseball poll, which included the Cardinals at No. 11.
Sitting atop the preseason Perfect Game poll is No. 1 TCU, while No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 Florida and No. 5 South Carolina round out the top five. Louisville and Florida State are among five ACC programs in the Perfect Game Top 25 joining No. 12 North Carolina, No. 14 NC State and No. 19 Clemson.
The No. 6 Cardinals are scheduled to open the 2017 season on Feb. 17-19 in Clearwater, Florida with a trio of games at Spectrum Field (formerly Bright House Field), spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Louisville will face Alabama State on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m., ET, Maryland on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., and Ball State on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. The 2017 home-opener for the Cardinals is set for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium against Eastern Kentucky.
LOUISVILLE BASEBALL IN 2017
The Cardinals return a trio of All-Americans and 19 total letterwinners from last year's team, which won its second straight ACC Atlantic Division championship, advanced to its fourth straight NCAA Super Regional and reached the 50-win plateau for the fourth time in school history. Two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-American Brendan McKay returns for his junior season after finishing with a 12-4 record, 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts on the mound and a .333 batting average, six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate last season.
Junior righthander Kade McClure, an All-American selection by the NCBWA and Perfect Game in 2016, is expected to give the Cardinals a 1-2 All-American punch in their weekend rotation after closing his sophomore season with a 12-0 record, 2.54 ERA and 77 strikeouts 13 starts and 15 total appearances. Joining McKay in the Louisville lineup is junior shortstop Devin Hairston, who hit .361 with three home runs, 16 doubles and 45 RBI while earning ABCA Third Team All-America honors last season.
In 10 seasons guiding the Louisville baseball program, head coach Dan McDonnell has placed the Cardinals among the nation's elite programs with three College World Series berths, six NCAA Super Regional appearances, nine NCAA Regional bids, seven regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles, 29 All-Americans and 456 wins overall.
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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