Louisville Baseball Hosts 2018 Media Day
February 13, 2018 | Baseball
McDonnell announces opening weekend pitching rotation with Wolf, Thompson and Jenkins
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville baseball program hosted its annual media day activities Tuesday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium with head coach Dan McDonnell and members of the 13th-ranked Cardinals previewing the 2018 season.
Entering his 12th season at the helm in Louisville, McDonnell was joined during Tuesday's news conferences in the Omaha Room by junior infielder Devin Mann, junior outfielder Josh Stowers, junior righthanded pitcher Sam Bordner and junior lefthander Adam Wolf. The Cardinals enter 2018 ranked in the top 25 in all six major preseason polls, including a No. 13 ranking in the USA Today Top 25 coaches poll.
McDonnell announced Louisville's pitching rotation for the opening weekend of the season with Wolf earning the start in Friday's season-opener against Richmond (noon ET) at the Charleston Crab House Challenge in Charleston, South Carolina. Junior righty Riley Thompson will get the starting nod against tournament host The Citadel on Saturday (3 p.m.), while junior righthander Liam Jenkins will start Sunday's weekend finale against George Mason (11 a.m.).
A native of Milan, Ohio, Wolf finished his sophomore season with a 6-0 record, 2.18 ERA, one save and 35 strikeouts in 24 total appearances and 41.1 innings pitched. He made three scoreless appearances in the NCAA Championship finishing with five strikeouts and allowing only four hits in eight innings, including 3.1 innings of shutout relief against TCU in the College World Series.
Thompson, a Louisville native, registered a 1-0 record with 23 strikeouts and a 4.02 ERA in 15.2 innings work and 14 total appearances last season. Selected in the 25th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees, Thompson chose to return to Louisville for his third collegiate season.
A native of Mokena, Illinois, Jenkins is in his first season with the Cardinals after transferring from Wabash Valley College, where he was 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched as a sophomore. Selected in the 40th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants, Jenkins started his collegiate career at Arizona State pitching in one game as a freshman before transitioning to Wabash Valley.
Mann and Stowers lead the way for the Cardinals offensively and defensively entering 2018. A native of Columbus, Indiana, Mann started 64 games at second base last season while hitting .268 with eight home runs, 11 doubles and 44 RBIs. He has 83 career starts and 103 total appearances through his first two seasons in Louisville.
Stowers played in all 65 games last season making 59 starts in the outfield and hitting .313 with six home runs, 15 doubles, 34 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. The speedy Chicago native was especially good in the postseason hitting .407 with one home run, five doubles, one triple and nine RBI in eight NCAA Championship games.
While at Louisville, McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to four College World Series berths, seven NCAA Super Regional appearances, 10 NCAA Regional bids, eight regular season conference championships and two conference tournament titles with 34 All-Americans.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter at @UofLBaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
2018 LOUISVILLE BASEBALL TICKETS
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets for 2018 University of Louisville baseball home games at Jim Patterson Stadium are on sale now through the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office. Priced at $10 per ticket for reserved chairback seats and $5 per ticket for berm seats, single game tickets can be purchased online at GoCards.com/bsbtickets, by phone at 502-GO-CARDS or by visiting the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office, located near Gate 2 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (2800 South Floyd Street) on weekdays from 9 a.m., until 5 p.m. Single game tickets can also be purchased on game days at the Jim Patterson Stadium ticket windows starting one hour prior to first pitch.
Full-Season Packages
Reserved chairback ticket packages are priced at $150 for adults (less than $4.50 per game), $120 for senior adults/youth (less than $4 per game) and $480 for a Family 4-Pack (less than $4 per game per ticket). Season tickets for the Left Field Berm are also available at $100 for adults (less than $3 per game), $80 for senior adults/youth (less than $2.50 per game) and $320 for a Family 4-Pack (less than $2.50 per game per ticket).
Season ticket packages include all regular season home games at Jim Patterson Stadium with the exception of the annual Elementary School Day game, played each March during a weekday afternoon. For Elementary School Day, season tickets will provide admission to the game but will not include a reserved seat.
All 2018 Louisville baseball season ticket packages are also on sale now and can be purchased online at GoCards.com/bsbtickets, by calling 502-GO-CARDS or by visiting the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office, located near Gate 2 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (2800 South Floyd Street) on weekdays from 9 a.m., until 5 p.m.
15-Game Flex Plan
The 15-Game Flex Plan includes 15 berm tickets which can be used for any Louisville baseball home game against any opponent. Ticket holders have the flexibility of using each of the tickets at 15 different games or any number of the 15 tickets on a single game. The 15-Game Flex Plan is priced at $60 and is the perfect mini plan for fans looking for adaptability with their tickets and schedule.
Friday Mini Plan
The Friday Package includes one reserved chairback ticket to each of Louisville's eight Friday home games and is priced at $64. Friday night's in college baseball are typically the opening game in a three-game weekend series and are pivotal in the success of a team. Six of the Cardinals' Friday games will be played under the lights at Jim Patterson Stadium adding an additional element to the electric atmosphere at the corner of Third and Central. Friday's at Jim Patterson Stadium also feature drink specials throughout the evening.
Sunday Mini Plan
The Sunday Package includes one reserved chairback ticket to each of Louisville's seven Sunday home games and is priced at $56. Each weekend series this season is slated to conclude with a Sunday afternoon tilt allowing fans to enjoy the sunshine and cheer for the Cardinals. Sunday's at Jim Patterson Stadium are also designated as Family Fun Day featuring family entertainment, concession specials and on-field activities for kids following the game.
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