Friday, March 24
Raleigh, NC
6:30 PM
University of Louisville
at
NC State
Brendan McKay ranks in the top 10 in the nation in batting average and ERA.
No. 1 Baseball Visits NC State for Weekend Set
March 23, 2017 | Baseball
Cardinals and Wolfpack open three-game series on Friday at 6:30 p.m., ET in Raleigh
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #1 Louisville at NC State Location: Raleigh, N.C. Venue: Doak Field at Dail Park (3,100) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | NC State | Media Center Friday, March 24 | 6:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. LHP Brendan McKay (4-0, 0.36 ERA) NCST: Sr. LHP Sean Adler (2-2, 3.81 ERA) Saturday, March 25 | 1:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: RSN/ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. RHP Kade McClure (3-0, 1.82 ERA) NCST: Jr. LHP Brian Brown (0-0, 1.29 ERA) Sunday, March 26 | 1:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Fr. LHP Nick Bennett (2-0, 0.86 ERA) NCST: Fr. RHP Dalton Feeney (2-1, 2.63 ERA) |
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The best start to a season in school history for the Cardinals ended at 19 straight wins after Tuesday's 6-3 loss at Cincinnati. Louisville, which sits atop the ACC Atlantic with a 6-0 conference record following back-to-back sweeps of Pittsburgh and Boston College, 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 seventh in the nation in batting average at .466 to go along with four home runs, 17 RBI and .575 on-base percentage. The back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 4-0 record with a 0.36 ERA (No. 9 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 .338 career batting average in 137 starts as a hitter.
As a team, the Cardinals are second in the nation in ERA (1.92), No. 2 in shutouts (6), third in hits allowed per 9 IP (5.75), No. 3 in strikeouts per 9 IP (10.8), sixth in scoring (8.6 runs per game), No. 6 in WHIP (1.08), 10th in on-base percentage (.423), 14th in stolen bases (37-of-42), 16th in fielding percentage (.981), 18th in batting average (.318) and 25th in slugging (.469).
ABOUT THE NC STATE WOLFPACK
NC State enters the weekend at 12-10 overall following a midweek loss at home to Campbell on Tuesday and 3-3 in the ACC after winning two of three games against Miami last weekend in Raleigh. Under the guidance of head coach Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack was 38-22 last season and third in the ACC Atlantic with a 15-13 conference mark. NC State hosted an NCAA Regional falling to Coastal Carolina in the final round.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville holds a 6-1 lead in the all-time series against NC State, which began in 2008. The Cardinals have won four straight against the Wolfpack, including a three-game sweep last season at Jim Patterson Stadium. In the last visit to Raleigh, Louisville won two of three games for a series victory in 2015.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• Louisville entered the week as one of just four teams in the nation ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in both ERA (second) and batting average (13th).
• The Cardinals have 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.
• 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), Louisville has opened 2017 by committing just 14 errors in 20 games for a .981 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 14 of 20 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 20 games this season and has connected for 10 or more hits in 14 of 20 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 1.70 ERA and 9-0 record with 91 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .165 overall.
• Louisville is 37-of-42 on stolen base attempts this season (14th 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 fourth in NCAA in on-base percentage, seventh in batting average and ninth 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 17 of 18 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-13 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 20 games this season... Played in 197 career games with 101 starts.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Second on team with nine multi-hit games this season... Has started 15 of 20 games at catcher while starting other five games 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 18 of 20 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 19 games this season with six two-hit games in last 12 outings... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
• Josh Stowers: Has started 10 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.
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