Tuesday, April 25
Richmond, KY
3:00 PM
University of Louisville
at
Eastern Kentucky
Photo by: Mike DeZarn
No. 2 Cardinals Begin Busy Stretch with Midweek Pair
April 24, 2017 | Baseball
Louisville visits EKU on Tuesday before hosting NKU on Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #2 Louisville at Eastern Kentucky Location: Richmond, Ky. Venue: Earle Combs Stadium Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | EKU | Media Center Tuesday, April 25 | 3:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: None | Radio: WXVW 1450 AM/96.1 FM LOU: Fr. RHP Shay Smiddy (0-0, 4.15 ERA) EKU: Fr. RHP Bubba Carter (0-0, 1.93 ERA) #2 Louisville vs. Northern Kentucky Location: Louisville, Ky. Venue: Louisville Slugger Field Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | NKU | Media Center Wednesday, April 26 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: None | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: So. RHP Bryan Hoeing (0-0, 5.00 ERA) NKU: TBD |
TICKETS FOR THE NKU GAME AT LOUISVILLE SLUGGER FIELD
To purchase tickets for Wednesday's game at Louisville Slugger Field, visit http://bit.ly/uofl-nku or call the Bats Ticket Office at (855) 228-8497. All reserved seat tickets are only $5 each. UofL students with valid student ID will be admitted free of charge.
Fans that purchase a full championship or weekend package for the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship held at Louisville Slugger Field from May 23-28 will receive free admission to the Louisville-NKU regular season game. ACC Championship ticket package information can be found here.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The Cardinals enter the week at 33-6 overall and 17-4 in the ACC after earning a series victory against Duke last weekend. Louisville, which set a record for the best start to a season in school history with 19 straight wins, has won each of its nine weekend series this season, including seven straight against ACC opponents.
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 second in the nation in on-base percentage at .522 and 39th in batting with a .388 average to go along with seven home runs and 30 RBI. The three-time ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 5-3 record with a 1.83 ERA (35th in NCAA) and 83 strikeouts (10th in NCAA) in nine Friday starts on the mound. McKay has a 26-10 career record with a 2.00 ERA and 328 strikeouts (second all-time at UofL) to go with a .336 career batting average in 156 starts as a hitter.
Drew Ellis is second on the team and fifth in the ACC with a .375 batting average to go with nine home runs and 37 RBI while splitting time between first base and third base. Devin Hairston is has a .329 batting average with a team-leading 40 RBI at the plate and has just one error while starting all 39 games at shortstop.
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 spot in each of the last five weeks.
ABOUT EASTERN KENTUCKY AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Eastern Kentucky enters the week at 21-19 overall and 7-11 in the OVC after being swept at Eastern Illinois last weekend. The Colonels have lost five straight games overall but they own an 18-5 record at home. Northern Kentucky is 15-24 overall and 8-8 in the Horizon League after splitting a pair of conference doubleheaders last weekend against UIC and Valparaiso.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville holds a 66-48-1 record all-time against Eastern Kentucky having won nine straight and 17 of the last 18 against the Colonels, including a 19-3 win earlier this season. The Cardinals are 11-7 all-time against Northern Kentucky and Wednesday's game will be the first between the programs since 1985.
ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION RACE
Through seven weeks of ACC action, the reigning back-to-back ACC Atlantic champions are atop the division with a 17-4 mark, while Clemson is next at 16-5. Wake Forest is third at 13-8 and is followed by Florida State (10-10), NC State (8-13), Notre Dame (8-13) and Boston College (6-15). North Carolina leads the ACC Coastal with a 16-5 record, four games ahead of second-place Virginia (12-9).
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• Louisville is ranked No. 6 in this week's official NCAA RPI and is among five ACC schools in the top 14 spots.
• The Cardinals are No. 1 in the nation in shutouts, sixth in ERA, sixth in hits allowed per 9 IP, eighth in WHIP, 14th in fielding percentage, 14th in strikeouts per 9 IP, 21st in on-base percentage, 24th in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 25th in scoring and 29th in stolen bases.
• Louisville has won 24 of its 27 ACC series since joining the league and is 26-1 in its series finales during that span, including an 11-1 record in rubber games.
• The Cardinals have won all 14 ACC series at home since debuting in the conference in 2015.
• Louisville has won 32 straight regular season weekend series at home dating back to 2013.
• The Cardinals have a 31-0 record this season when leading after eight innings.
• A season after setting a school record for highest fielding percentage (.978), Louisville has maintained a similar pace in 2017 with 29 errors in 39 games for a .980 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 22 of 39 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 21 ACC games, the Cardinals pitching staff has a 2.82 ERA with 187 strikeouts in 188.0 innings of work.
• The UofL bullpen has a 2.35 ERA and 16-0 record with 150 strikeouts in 160.2 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .199 overall.
• Louisville is 61-of-74 on stolen base attempts this season (29th 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 are second in the ACC in ERA and third in the league in team batting average.
• 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: Named midseason national Player of the Year by both Baseball America and Perfect Game... Two-way standout is second in NCAA in on-base percentage and 39th in batting average while also ranking 10th in the nation in strikeouts and 35th in ERA... Ranks No. 1 in the ACC in on-base percentage, second in ERA and fourth in average... Has finished with eight or more strikeouts 24 times in collegiate career, including career-high 15 strikeouts in March 10 win over Pittsburgh... In 22 pitching starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 18-3 with a 1.71 ERA (28 earned runs in 147.0 IP) and 187 strikeouts... In 27 career appearances on the mound at home (including 22 starts), McKay is 19-3 with four saves, a 1.63 ERA (28 earned runs in 154.0 IP) and 194 strikeouts... Has reached base in 36 of 38 games played in 2017 while delivering 16 multi-hit outings.
• Kade McClure: Ranks eighth in ACC in strikeouts... Has 17-2 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 4-0 record in eight career collegiate starts... Ranks third in the ACC in ERA and fourth in WHIP... Twirled career-best seven scoreless innings in April 23 win over Duke... 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 third in NCAA and No. 1 in ACC with 12 saves... Opened 2017 with 13.1 consecutive innings of scoreless relief... Has 21 strikeouts with just three walks in 21.1 innings pitched... 15 career saves ranks tied for fifth all-time at Louisville.
• Logan Taylor: Fifth in the ACC in stolen bases... Has reached base safely in 30 of 32 starts this season... Played in 212 career games with 113 starts... One of three team captains in 2017.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Has 12 multi-hit games this season... Has started 29 of 39 games at catcher while starting other 10 games at designated hitter... Hit four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Devin Hairston: Ranks 11th in the ACC in RBI... Leads team with 40 RBI and 11 multi-RBI games... 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... Started all 64 games in 2016 earning All-America and All-ACC honors.
• Drew Ellis: Ranks fifth in the ACC in batting average... Has four home runs in last five games... Leads team with 11 doubles to go with nine 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... .348 career batting average.
• Josh Stowers: Ranks third in the ACC in stolen bases... Reached base safely in 20 straight games from March 10 to April 11... 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... 196 career appearances.
• Devin Mann: Homered in final two games of NC State series... Reached base safely in 31 of 38 starts this season... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
• Ryan Summers: Has played in 17 of last 19 games, including 10 starts... 54 career starts and 140 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 MIDSEASON 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.
MCKAY NAMED ACC PITCHER OF THE WEEK THREE TIMES IN 2017
Brendan McKay earned his third ACC Pitcher of the Week honor on April 17 after receiving the award in back-to-back weeks on March 13 and March 20. McKay's most recent Pitcher of the Week selection came after he allowed just one hit in eight dominant innings on the mound to lead No. 2 Louisville to a 3-0 victory over Georgia Tech in the series-opening win at Russ Chandler Stadium on April 13. McKay finished with eight strikeouts while surrendering only a fourth inning single to go with two walks to move to 5-2 on the season and 26-9 in his collegiate career.
The second Pitcher of the Week honor was awarded 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 on March 17. The first of the three 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.
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.
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 336-95 record (.779 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.
29 CARDINALS ASSIGNED TO MLB, MiLB TEAMS FOR 2017
During Dan McDonnell's tenure as head coach, University of Louisville baseball alumni have consistently made the successful transition from college to professional baseball. A total of 29 former Cardinals were assigned to MLB and MiLB teams to begin the 2017 season. A complete list of #ProCards is available online at gocards.com/probaseballcards.
Since McDonnell's hiring prior to the 2007 season, 50 Louisville players have signed professional contracts after being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including a school record nine Cardinals in 2010. The 2016 MLB Draft featured a record-setting three first round selections from Louisville and seven total draftees in the first 115 picks overall. Seven former Cardinals appeared in MLB games during the 2016 season, led by Cincinnati Reds outfielder and All-Star Adam Duvall.
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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