Thursday, April 13
Atlanta, GA
6:00 PM
University of Louisville
at
Georgia Tech
Logan Taylor heads to second for one of his two doubles in Tuesday's win over Purdue.
No. 2 Louisville Travels to Georgia Tech for Weekend Series
April 12, 2017 | Baseball
Cardinals and Yellow Jackets open three-game set Thursday at 6 p.m., ET in Atlanta
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #2 Louisville at Georgia Tech Location: Atlanta, Ga. Venue: Russ Chandler Stadium (4,157) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | Georgia Tech | Media Center Thursday, April 13 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. LHP Brendan McKay (4-2, 1.40 ERA) GT: Jr. RHP Ben Schniederjans (1-2, 5.31 ERA) Friday, April 14 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. RHP Kade McClure (3-1, 3.30 ERA) GT: Fr. RHP Xzavion Curry (3-3, 5.49 ERA) Saturday, April 15 | 1:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Fr. LHP Nick Bennett (3-0, 1.77 ERA) GT: Fr. LHP Jay Shadday (2-2, 3.10 ERA) |
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The Cardinals enter the weekend at 28-4 overall following a midweek win over Purdue and 12-3 in the ACC after grinding out a series victory against No. 17 Wake Forest last weekend at Jim Patterson Stadium. Louisville, which set a record for the best start to a season in school history with 19 straight wins, has won each of its seven weekend series this season, including five straight against ACC opponents.
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, Louisville has been ranked in the No. 2 position in each of the last three weeks.
Brendan McKay, the two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, leads the Cardinals at the plate and on the mound. McKay is seventh in the nation in on-base percentage at .523 and 22nd in batting with a .400 average to go along with six home runs and 27 RBI. The two-time ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 4-2 record with a 1.40 ERA and 68 strikeouts in seven Friday starts on the mound. McKay has a 25-9 career record with a 1.93 ERA and 313 strikeouts (second all-time at UofL) to go with a .336 career batting average in 149 starts as a hitter.
As a team, the Cardinals are second in the nation in ERA, fourth in shutouts, fifth in hits allowed per 9 IP, ninth in strikeouts per 9 IP, 10th in WHIP, 15th in stolen bases, 16th in on-base percentage, 20th in scoring, 26th in batting average and 30th in slugging percentage.
ABOUT THE GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
Georgia Tech is 16-15 overall following a midweek loss at rival Georgia on Tuesday and 11-4 in the ACC after dropping three games at Notre Dame last weekend. The Yellow Jackets are hitting .293 as a team while the pitching staff has a 5.54 ERA. Last season, Tech was 38-25 overall and fourth in the ACC Coastal with a 13-16 league mark. The Jackets were 2-2 in the NCAA Gainesville Regional after falling to host Florida in the final.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville is 5-1 all-time against Georgia Tech in a series dating back to 1976. The Cardinals swept the Yellow Jackets at home in 2015 in the only previous ACC series between the teams. This weekend will mark Louisville's second visit to Russ Chandler Stadium, but the first since 2002 when they were 0-2 in the NCAA Regional with losses to Georgia and Coastal Carolina.
ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION RACE
Through five weeks of ACC action, the reigning back-to-back ACC Atlantic champions are in second place in the division race with a 12-3 mark, while No. 4 Clemson paces the way with a 13-2 record. No. 17 Wake Forest is third at 9-6, while Florida State, NC State and Notre Dame are next at 7-8. No. 5 North Carolina leads the ACC Coastal with a 12-3 record, four games ahead of the field.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• With Tuesday's win against Purdue, the 2017 Louisville squad achieved the best record through 32 games in program history (28-4) surpassing the 2010 team, which had 26-6 record through the same number of games.
• UofL has won 22 of its 25 ACC series overall and is 24-1 in its series finales during that span.
• The Cardinals have won all 13 ACC series at home since debuting in the conference in 2015.
• Louisville has won 31 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 maintained a similar pace in 2017 with 24 errors in 32 games for a .980 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 19 of 32 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.
• In 15 ACC games, the Cardinals pitching staff has a 2.96 ERA with 141 strikeouts in 134.0 innings of work.
• The UofL bullpen has a 2.36 ERA and 14-0 record with 132 strikeouts in 133.2 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .194 overall.
• Louisville is 57-of-65 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 lead the ACC in ERA and rank third in the league in team batting average.
• Louisville has won 13 straight games against in-state foes, including six straight versus UK.
• While at Louisville, coach Dan 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 23 times in collegiate career.
• Two-way standout is seventh in the NCAA in on-base percentage and 22nd in batting average while also ranking 15th in the nation among pitchers in strikeouts and 26th in ERA.
• In 21 pitching starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 18-2 with a 1.46 ERA (23 earned runs in 141.0 IP) and 180 strikeouts.
• In 26 career appearances on the mound at home (including 21 starts), McKay is 19-2 with four saves, a 1.40 ERA (23 earned runs in 147.0 IP) and 187 strikeouts.
• Has reached base in 29 of 31 games played in 2017 while delivering 14 multi-hit outings.
• Kade McClure: Has 16-2 career record... Had season-high 10 strikeouts on April 8... 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 3-0 record in six career collegiate starts... Ranks fifth in the ACC in ERA and third in WHIP... Allowed one hit and registered seven strikeouts while facing the minimum of 18 batters for first career victory in first ever start against Eastern Michigan on March 3.
• Lincoln Henzman: Ranks ninth nationally with nine saves... Opened 2017 with 13.1 consecutive innings of scoreless relief... Has 18 strikeouts with just three walks in 18.1 innings pitched.
• Logan Taylor: Ranks 35th in NCAA with 14 stolen bases... Has reached base safely in 26 of 27 starts this season... Played in 206 career games with 108 starts... One of three team captains in 2017.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Has 11 multi-hit games this season... Has started 24 of 32 games at catcher while starting other eight games at designated hitter... Hit four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Devin Hairston: Ended stretch of 35 straight games without an error (dating back to 2016) with ninth inning miscue on April 11... Career-best five RBI in three-hit game vs. Fort Wayne on March 8... Leads team with 37 RBI and 10 multi-RBI games... Started all 64 games in 2016 earning All-America and All-ACC honors.
• Drew Ellis: Had career-best 11-game hitting streak halted on April 7... Leads team with 11 doubles to go with five 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.
• Josh Stowers: Has started 22 straight games and hit safely in 17 of those... Has reached base safely in 20 straight games... Delivered career-best three hits against No. 17 Wake Forest on April 8... Had two-hit outing and one RBI in first ever start on Feb. 18 against No. 22 Maryland.
• Colin Lyman: Hit first career home run and had career-best three hits on March 1 against Morehead State... Had 47 starts and 60 games played last season... 186 career appearances.
• Devin Mann: Homered in final two games of NC State series... Has reached base safely in 24 of 31 starts this season... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
• Ryan Summers: Has played in 12 straight games, including seven starts... 51 career starts and 135 total appearances... One of three team captains for 2017.
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 major national poll 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.
MCKAY ON GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Brendan McKay was named Wednesday to the midseason watch list for the 2017 Golden Spikes Award. The 40-player list was announced by USA Baseball and is the second step in identifying the top amateur baseball player in the nation for the 2017 season. The announcement marked the third consecutive year McKay has been included on the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award. The Darlington, Pennsylvania native was selected as 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.
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 334-94 record (.780 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-3 mark during the 2016 season at the corner of Third and Central. Louisville has won 54 of its last 56 regular season games at Jim Patterson Stadium.
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.
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.
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.
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