Wednesday, February 22
LOUISVILLE, KY
3:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
EASTERN KENTUCKY
Junior Drew Ellis hit safely in all three games during the opening weekend in Clearwater.
Baseball Hosts EKU in Home-Opener on Wednesday
February 21, 2017 | Baseball
First pitch for No. 6 Cardinals and Colonels set for 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #6 Louisville vs. Eastern Kentucky Location: Louisville, Ky. Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 3:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 1450 WXVW LOU: So. RHP Bryan Hoeing (0-0, 0.00 ERA) EKU: Jr. RHP Max Ford (0-0, 15.43 ERA) |
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The Cardinals enter the second week of the season at 3-0 after sweeping through the opening weekend at Spectrum Field. Louisville scored 27 runs during the three days and never trailed in earning victories over Alabama State (7-0), No. 22 Maryland (10-7) and Ball State (10-4). UofL entered 2017 ranked in the top 12 in all six major preseason polls and is ranked as high as No. 6 this week by Baseball America and Perfect Game.
Pacing the way for the Cardinals during the opening weekend was junior Brendan McKay, who was named as one of Collegiate Baseball newspaper's national players of the week on Monday. The two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year was 4-for-8 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI and four walks in the first three games while also twirling six shutout innings with nine strikeouts in a victorious start on the mound in Friday's season-opener. McKay has a 22-7 career record with a 1.99 ERA and 254 strikeouts on the mound to go along with a .324 career batting average in 122 starts as a hitter.
While at the helm in Louisville, 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 459 wins overall.
ABOUT THE EKU COLONELS
Eastern Kentucky enters Wednesday's game at 0-4 following a season-opening weekend series at No. 7 Arizona. The Colonels were 24-31 last season and finished eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 13-17 record. EKU returned 18 letterwinners, including six starters, from last year's squad.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville holds a 65-48-1 record all-time against Eastern Kentucky and having won eight straight and 16 of the last 17 against the Colonels. The series against EKU, which dates back to 1927, is second on the list of most-played series in school history for Louisville (114 games) behind only the Western Kentucky series (128 games).
FEELING AT HOME INSIDE JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won 77 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 313-93 record (.770 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-3 mark during the 2016 season at the corner of Third and Central. Louisville has won five straight home-openers and are 9-1 overall in home-openers under McDonnell.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• A season after setting a school record for the highest fielding percentage (.978), Louisville opened 2017 in stellar fashion defensively playting three games of error-free baseball in Clearwater. Dating back to the final three games of last season, the Cardinals have played six consecutive games without committing an error.
• Collectively, the Cardinals finished with a .322 (No. 6 nationally entering the week) batting average as eight players hit .309 or better while starting at least 27 games.
• The Cardinals were 101-of-126 on stolen bases in 2016 (12th nationally) continuing the aggressive approach from Dan McDonnell. Louisville was fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases in 2015, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
• Louisville allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 64 games last season, a feat achieved in 36 of 65 games in 2015. In 2014, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the task in 36 of 65 games.
• The Cardinals ended last season ranked second in hits allowed per nine innings, third in hits, third in sacrifice flies, third in shutouts, fifth in ERA, sixth in batting average, sixth in doubles, sixth in slugging percentage, sixth in WHIP, ninth in runs scored, 12th in stolen bases, 15th in fielding percentage, 15th in on-base percentage, 15th in strikeouts per nine innings, 19th in home runs, 20th in scoring, 21st in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 25th in hit by pitch and 26th in triples.
• Louisville closed the 2016 regular season leading the ACC in batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, doubles, RBI and opponents' batting average.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
• Brendan McKay: Recorded eight or more strikeouts in 11 of his 17 starts last season and has finished with eight or more strikeouts 19 times in his career.
• In 17 collegiate starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 15-1 with a 1.56 ERA (20 earned runs in 115.0 IP) and 137 strikeouts.
• In 22 career appearances on the mound at home (including 17 starts), McKay is 16-1 with four saves, a 1.48 ERA (20 earned runs in 121.0 IP) and 149 strikeouts.
• Reached base safely in all three games last week while delivering a pair of two-hit outings.
• Kade McClure: Won 12 of 13 starts last season and was tied for fifth nationally in victories... Was also in the top 10 in the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per 9 IP.
• Michael McAvene: Became Louisville's first true freshman pitcher to earn an opening weekend start since 2007 when Tyler Mathis and Justin Marks earned back-to-back starts on the second and third days of the season.
• Bryan Hoeing: Made collegiate debut with three no-hit innings and two strikeouts to earn the save in Louisville's opening day victory against Alabama State.
• Devin Hairston: All-ACC Third Team honoree ranked 11th in the ACC in hitting, 10th in runs.
• Colby Fitch: Had a pair of two-hit performances during opening weekend... Delivered four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Drew Ellis: Hit safely in all three games last weekend... Had 30 starts last season in left field, one at third base and one at second base.
• Devin Mann: Reached base safely in each of the first three games... Called into everyday duty with an injury to Nick Solak last March, Mann managed himself well hitting .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored in the 19 starts.
• Logan Taylor: Hit safely in all three games in Clearwater... Has played in 180 career games with 84 starts, including 44 starts last season.
• Colin Lyman: Had 47 starts and 60 games played last season with all 47 starts in right field.
• Josh Stowers: Hit safely in all three games last weekend, including a two-hit outing and one RBI in first career start on Feb. 18 against No. 22 Maryland.
MCKAY ON GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Brendan McKay was named to the preseason watch list for the 2017 Golden Spikes Award on Feb. 15. The 55-player list was announced by USA Baseball and is the first step in identifying the top amateur baseball player in the nation for the 2017 season. The announcement marked the second consecutive year McKay has been included on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award. The lefthanded pitcher and first baseman from Darlington, Pennsylvania was a semifinalist for the award in each of his first two collegiate seasons. The 40th Golden Spikes Award will be presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation on June 29 in Los Angeles.
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. Ranked in the top 12 in all six major preseason polls for 2017, 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 straight seasons (2008-2017) overall.
CARDINALS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN ACC ATLANTIC IN 2017
Louisville was the second choice in the 2017 ACC Atlantic Division race in a vote of the conference's 14 head coaches, while Florida State was chosen as the favorite to win the division and conference championships. The Seminoles were picked by 10 coaches as the team to beat in the conference. Back-to-back ACC Atlantic Division champion Louisville, Clemson, North Carolina, and NC State also had one vote each for overall conference champion.
Florida State led the way in the Atlantic Division with 93 points, followed by Louisville (79), Clemson (66), NC State (64), Wake Forest (38), and Boston College and Notre Dame (26). The Seminoles were selected as division favorite by 10 coaches, while Louisville (2), Clemson and NC State (1) also picked up first place votes.
Six coaches picked North Carolina to win the Coastal Division, with Virginia (4), Miami (3), and Georgia Tech (1) also had first place votes. The Tar Heels picked up 86 points, ahead of Virginia (84), Miami (77), Georgia Tech (59), Duke (40), Virginia Tech (26), and Pitt (20).
MCKAY NAMED PRESEASON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Junior lefthanded pitcher and first baseman Brendan McKay was named as the preseason National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. McKay was selected as the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and earned First Team All-America honors in each of his first two collegiate seasons. As a sophomore in 2016, McKay had a 12-4 record with a 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 17 starts on the mound, while hitting .333 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate. The two-time All-ACC First Team selection also had a stellar summer hitting .326 with five RBI in 13 starts as a hitter and registering a 2-1 record with a 1.35 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 13.1 innings on the mound for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
SPARGER, SUMMERS AND TAYLOR NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior righthanded pitcher Jake Sparger and senior outfielders Ryan Summers and Logan Taylor were selected by Louisville players and coaches as team captains for the Cardinals baseball team in 2017. Sparger had 50 career appearances on the mound in his first three seasons with the Cardinals, including five starts, and accumulated a 3-2 record with a 3.42 ERA. Summers had 37 collegiate starts while appearing in 108 games during his first three years at Louisville.
Taylor played in 177 games and made 81 total starts during his first three seasons as a Cardinal.
49 OF 56 REGULAR SEASON GAMES SLATED FOR ESPN PLATFORMS
The Louisville baseball team's 2017 television schedule features 49 of 56 regular season games on ESPN platforms, including all 30 ACC contests. The 49 regular season games slated for television coverage are the most in school history. The Cardinals will play once on ESPN2 with their May 14 contest at Clemson and once on ESPNU when they host Florida State in the regular season finale on May 20 at Jim Patterson Stadium. Louisville will make one appearance on the ACC's Regional Sports Network with the March 25 game at NC State, while 45 games will be televised exclusively on ACC Network Extra, available on WatchESPN and the ESPN app. The Cardinals will make one appearance on the SEC Network with their April 18 game at Kentucky.
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER FIELD TO HOST 2017 ACC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship will be played at Louisville Slugger Field in downtown Louisville as announced by the conference on Oct. 4. Louisville Slugger Field, which opened in 2000, boasts a seating capacity of 13,131. Home to the Louisville Bats' minor league team, the stadium played host to the 2008 Triple-A All-Star Game and features 32 private suites in addition to second-level club seating.
"The city of Louisville knows how to host big events, especially sporting events, and I believe all of the ACC teams will enjoy the experience of playing in a great sports town and in a terrific ballpark," said UofL baseball head coach Dan McDonnell. "I'm also excited our fan base will have the opportunity to experience and support the ACC Baseball Championship."
The 2017 ACC Baseball Championship will be the event's first time to be held in the state of Kentucky. It will also be the first year under a new format, as the championship will include 12 teams and feature a pool play format leading into a four-team, single-elimination bracket to determine the league champion.
The 12 teams in the championship will be grouped into four pools of three teams apiece. Pool play will take place Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with three games per day. Each pool will play a round robin, with the top team advancing to the semifinals. The semifinals will take place on Saturday, followed by the championship on Sunday.
FIVE STRAIGHT 40-WIN SEASONS AT LOUISVILLE
Winning at least 50 games for the fourth time ever in 2016, Louisville reached the 40-win plateau for the fifth straight season and the ninth time in 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.
SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES FOR THE CARDINALS
As the Louisville baseball team was making significant progress on the field during its 2016 fall workouts, the Cardinals also maintained their impressive work in the classroom registering a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better for the 11th consecutive semester. The notable stretch of academic success has covered five-and-a-half years overall since starting with fall semester in 2011.
The span of 11 straight semesters with a team GPA of 3.0 or better includes the 2013 and 2014 seasons, which culminated with back-to-back appearances at the College World Series. In each of those trips to Omaha, the Cardinals received the CWS Academic Award for having the highest team GPA of the eight programs advancing to the pinnacle of collegiate baseball.
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.
Players Mentioned
3B/1B
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
SS
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/1B
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballDrafted: Patrick Forbes
Monday, July 14
BSB: 2025 Louisville Baseball Super Regional Recap
Wednesday, June 11
Road to Omaha: 2025 Super Regionals
Tuesday, June 10
BSB: 2025 Louisville Baseball Regional Recap
Friday, June 06
