Tuesday, March 28
LOUISVILLE, KY
6:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
WESTERN KENTUCKY
Drew Ellis runs the bases during last year's Cancer Awareness Night at Patterson Stadium.
Cardinals Host WKU on Tuesday for Cancer Awareness Night
March 27, 2017 | Baseball
Box Score (PDF)Video HighlightsVideo: Dan McDonnell PostgameVideo: Tyler Fitzgerald PostgamePhoto Gallery
First pitch set for 6 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #2 Louisville vs. Western Kentucky Location: Louisville, Ky. Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | WKU | Media Center Tuesday, March 28 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Sr. RHP Shane Hummel (1-0, 4.50 ERA) WKU: TBD |
Fans at Tuesday's game will have a chance to win a pink Louisville Slugger bat, while game-worn jerseys from previous Cancer Awareness Night games will be on sale for purchase. It is also T-shirt Tuesday with the first 500 fans through the gates at Patterson Stadium receiving Cancer Awareness Night shirts. Admission is free for the game.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Following a brief two-game losing skid, the Cardinals registered back-to-back wins in the final two games of a three-game set at NC State to earn a series victory in Raleigh. Louisville, which set a school record for the best start to a season with 19 straight wins, has won each of its five weekend series this season, including three straight against ACC foes.
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. After holding a No. 1 ranking for two weeks, UofL dropped to No. 2 this week in the five of the six national polls.
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 on-base percentage at .543 while also hitting .412 with four home runs and 18 RBI. The two-time ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 4-1 record with a 1.12 ERA and 55 strikeouts in five Friday starts on the mound. McKay has a 25-8 career record with a 1.93 ERA and 300 strikeouts as a pitcher to go with a .333 career batting average in 140 starts as a hitter.
As a team, the Cardinals are second in the nation in shutouts, second in hits allowed per 9 IP, third in ERA, fourth in strikeouts per 9 IP, fifth in WHIP, ninth in on-base percentage, 11th in stolen bases, 14th in scoring, 14th in fielding percentage, 19th in batting average and 25th in slugging.
ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION RACE
Through three weeks of ACC action, the reigning back-to-back ACC Atlantic Division champions are atop the standings with an 8-1 conference mark matched only by Clemson with the same league record. Florida State and Wake Forest are two games behind the Cardinals and Tigers with 6-3 records.
ABOUT THE WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS
Western Kentucky enters the week at 9-16 overall and 3-3 in Conference USA after winning two of three at Middle Tennessee last weekend. In their first season under head coach John Pawlowski in 2016, the Hilltoppers were 24-30 overall and 10th in C-USA with a 10-20 record.
SERIES HISTORY
According to Louisville's all-time records, the series between the Cardinals and Hilltoppers is tied at 64-64 and dates back to 1924. Louisville won both meetings last season between the in-state foes earning a 17-0 victory in Bowling Green and a 14-2 win at Jim Patterson Stadium.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• Louisville entered the week as one of just three teams in the nation ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in both ERA (third) and batting average (19th).
• 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 a school record for highest fielding percentage (.978), Louisville has opened 2017 by committing just 16 errors in 23 games for a .981 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 of 23 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 finished with 10 or more hits in 16 of 23 games this season.
• In nine ACC games, the Cardinals have a 2.00 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 81.0 innings of work. Louisville pitchers have surrendered just nine extra-base hits in those nine games.
• The UofL bullpen has a 1.88 ERA and 10-0 record with 100 strikeouts in 96.0 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .169 overall.
• Louisville is 45-of-51 on stolen base attempts this season (11th 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 22 times in collegiate career.
• Two-way standout is seventh in NCAA in on-base percentage and 10th in the nation among pitchers in strikeouts.
• 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 21 of 22 games played in 2017 while delivering 10 multi-hit outings.
• Kade McClure: Has 16-1 career record... 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 three of four career collegiate starts... Ranks seventh in the nation in ERA... 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: Opened season with 13.1 consecutive innings of scoreless relief... 16 strikeouts, three walks and just six hits allowed in 14.1 innings this season.
• Logan Taylor: 5-for-16 with five walks, two HBPs, six stolen bases and eight runs scored in first inning this season (all as leadoff hitter)... Sixth in NCAA with 14 stolen bases... Has reached base safely in 22 of 23 games this season... Played in 200 career games with 104 starts.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Tied for team lead with 10 multi-hit games this season... Has started 17 of 23 games at catcher while starting other six games at designated hitter... Hit four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Devin Hairston: 27 straight games without an error (dating back to 2016)... Had career-best five RBI in three-hit game vs. Fort Wayne on March 8... Matched career-high with four hits on March 15 and Feb. 22... Started all 64 games in 2016 earning All-America and All-ACC honors.
• Drew Ellis: Has reached base safely in 21 of 23 games... Leads team with five home runs and seven doubles... 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.
• Josh Stowers: Has started 13 straight games and hit safely in 11 of those... Had two-hit outing and one RBI in first career start on Feb. 18 against No. 22 Maryland.
• 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: Homered in each of the last two games... Has reached base safely in 18 of 22 games this season with seven two-hit games in last 15 outings... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
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 on March 13 and March 20, 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
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/1B
/ 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
