Tuesday, March 21
Cincinnati OH
6:00 PM
University of Louisville
at
Cincinnati
Drew Ellis leads the No. 1 Cardinals with seven doubles this season.
Midweek Game at Cincinnati Up Next for No. 1 Louisville
March 20, 2017 | Baseball
First pitch for Cardinals and Bearcats set for 6 p.m., ET at Marge Schott Stadiuim
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #1 Louisville at Cincinnati Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Venue: Marge Schott Stadium (3,085) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | Cincinnati | Media Center Tuesday, March 21 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: BearcatsTV | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Fr. RHP Michael McAvene (1-0, 2.51 ERA) CIN: Fr. RHP Nathan Kroger (0-0, 0.00 ERA) |
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The Cardinals continued the best start to a season in school history and improved to 19-0 overall with a three-game sweep of Boston College last weekend at Jim Patterson Stadium. Louisville, which sits atop the ACC Atlantic with a 6-0 conference record, surpassed the previous school record start to a season set in 1957 when head coach Dr. John Heldman Jr., and his club had a perfect 17-0 record.
After entering 2017 ranked in the top 12 in all six major preseason polls, the Cardinals moved to No. 1 in the nation for the first time school history on March 13 landing in the top position four national polls -- Baseball America Top 25, NCBWA Top 30, Perfect Game Top 25 and USA Today Sports coaches poll. This week, Louisville maintained the top spot in those four polls and moved into a tie with Oregon State for the No. 1 position in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll.
Louisville is paced by junior Brendan McKay, the two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year. McKay is fifth in the nation in batting average at .481 to go along with four home runs, 17 RBI and .592 on-base percentage. The back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 4-0 record with a 0.36 ERA (No. 10 in the nation) and 41 strikeouts in four Friday starts on the mound. McKay has a 25-7 career record with a 1.87 ERA and 286 strikeouts as a pitcher to go with a .339 career batting average in 136 starts as a hitter.
As a team, the Cardinals are second in the nation in ERA (1.75), No. 2 in hits allowed per 9 IP (5.55), second in shutouts (6), fifth in strikeouts per 9 IP (10.8), sixth in on-base percentage (.428), sixth in scoring (8.9 runs per game), eighth in fielding percentage (.983), 13th in batting average (.325) and 20th in slugging (.480).
ABOUT THE CINCINNATI BEARCATS
Cincinnati enters the week at 9-9 overall after winning two of three games last weekend against Northeastern. Under the guidance of head coach Ty Neal, the Bearcats are 5-1 at home this season, including midweek wins over Indiana and Kentucky. Last season, UC was 26-30-1 and fourth in the American Athletic Conference with a 13-10-1 mark.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville holds a 98-80 lead in the all-time series against Cincinnati, which began in 1924. The Cardinals have won 12 straight in the series, including a 7-1 win last season at Jim Patterson Stadium. Louisville has also won four straight against the Bearcats in Cincinnati with the most recent victory coming in 2015 when the Cardinals left Marge Schott Stadium with a 6-2 win.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• Louisville has won 35 straight regular season home games at Jim Patterson Stadium with the most recent regular season loss coming to No. 9 Virginia on March 25, 2016.
• The Cardinals have won 18 consecutive midweek games, including a 14-0 mark last season, while their last midweek loss was to No. 7 Vanderbilt on May 12, 2015 at Jim Patterson Stadium.
• UofL has also won 30 straight regular season weekend series at home dating back to 2013.
• A season after setting school record for highest fielding percentage (.978), UofL has opened 2017 by committing just 12 errors in 19 games for a .983 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 14 of 19 games this season after accomplishing the feat in 36 of 64 games last season. They allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 65 games in 2015, 40 of 67 games in 2014 and 36 of 65 games in 2013.
• Louisville has scored 10 or more runs in eight of 19 games this season and has connected for 10 or more hits in 14 of 19 games overall.
• In six ACC games, the Cardinals have a 1.33 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 54.0 innings of work. Louisville pitchers have surrendered just three extra-base hits in those six games.
• The UofL bullpen has a 1.72 ERA and 9-0 record with 82 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .161 overall.
• Louisville is 35-of-40 on stolen base attempts this season (15th in NCAA) after finishing 101-of-126 in 2016 (12th nationally). The Cardinals were fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases in 2015, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
• The Cardinals ended last season second in the nation 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.
• While at the helm in Louisville, McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series berths, six NCAA Super Regional appearances, nine NCAA Regional bids, seven regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles and 29 All-Americans.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
• Brendan McKay: Recorded career-high 15 strikeouts in March 10 win over Pittsburgh and has finished with eight or more strikeouts 21 times in collegiate career.
• Two-way standout is third in NCAA in on-base percentage, fifth in average & 10th in ERA.
• In 20 pitching starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 18-1 with a 1.41 ERA (21 earned runs in 134.0 IP) and 169 strikeouts.
• In 25 career appearances on the mound at home (including 20 starts), McKay is 19-1 with four saves, a 1.35 ERA (21 earned runs in 140.0 IP) and 176 strikeouts.
• Has reached base in 16 of 17 games played in 2017 while delivering 10 multi-hit outings.
• Kade McClure: Has 16-1 career record... Has allowed just two runs in last 26 innings... 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 while earning All-America honors last season.
• Nick Bennett: Has won two of first three career collegiate starts... Allowed only one hit and registered seven strikeouts while facing the minimum of 18 batters for his first career victory in first ever start against Eastern Michigan on March 3.
• Lincoln Henzman: Seven straight scoreless relief appearances to open season... 14 strikeouts, two walks and just three hits allowed in 11.2 shutout innings this season.
• Logan Taylor: 5-for-12 with five walks, two HBPs, six stolen bases and eight runs scored in first inning this season (all as leadoff hitter)... Second on the team with 15 walks... Has reached base safely in all 19 games this season... Played in 196 career games with 100 starts.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Second on team with nine multi-hit games this season... Has started 14 of 19 games at catcher, while other five starts are at designated hitter... Hit four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Devin Hairston: Had career-best five RBI in three-hit performance against Fort Wayne on March 8... Matched career-high with four-hit performances on March 15 and Feb. 22... Started all 64 games at shortstop last season earning All-America and All-ACC honors.
• Drew Ellis: Has reached base safely in 17 of 19 games... Leads team with seven doubles and four home runs... Hit first career grand slam on March 1 against Morehead State... Had 30 starts last season in left field, one at third and one at second base.
• Colin Lyman: Connected for first career home run and career-best three hits on March 1 against Morehead State... Had 47 starts and 60 games played last season.
• Devin Mann: Has reached base safely in 16 of 18 games this season with six two-hit games in last 11 outings... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
• Josh Stowers: Career-best seven-game hitting streak... Has started nine straight games and hit safely in eight of those... Had two-hit outing and one RBI in first career start on Feb. 18 against No. 22 Maryland.
MCKAY EARNS BACK-TO-BACK ACC PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Brendan McKay was named ACC Pitcher of the Week in back-to-back weeks on March 13 and March 20. The first of the two honors came after McKay had a career-high 15 strikeouts while allowing only two hits in seven shutout innings against Pitt on March 10. The 15 strikeouts were two better than McKay's previous high of 13 and the outing marked the 20th time he has finished with eight or more strikeouts in a single game.
The second Pitcher of the Week honor came after McKay finished with 12 strikeouts and scattered five singles with one walk in seven shutout innings to move to 4-0 on the season in a win over Boston College. The Darlington, Pennsylvania native anchored the sixth shutout of the season for the No. 1 Cardinals.
LOUISVILLE IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012
Louisville, which surpassed its previous high national ranking of No. 2 (in 2016) with the No. 1 ranking the last two weeks, 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.
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 329-93 record (.779 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-3 mark during the 2016 season at the corner of Third and Central.
NCBWA NAMES MCKAY NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY
Brendan McKay was named National Player of the Month for February by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. McKay had a prolific month, both at the plate and on the mound. In seven games, McKay hit .619 (13-for-21) with a double, three homers and 11 RBI. He had six walks, was hit by two pitches and struck out just once. In two Friday starts, McKay posted wins and a 0.82 ERA in 11 innings. He allowed only six hits and four walks, striking out 14.
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
LHP
/ Baseball
3B/1B
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
SS
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballBSB: 2025 Louisville Baseball Super Regional Recap
Wednesday, June 11
BSB: 2025 Louisville Baseball Regional Recap
Friday, June 06
BSB: Lucas Moore Postgame vs. Vanderbilt
Wednesday, May 07
BSB: Dan McDonnell Postgame vs. Vanderbilt
Wednesday, May 07
