Friday, February 15
Lakeland, FL / Joker Marchant Stadium
6:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
Connecticut
Sophomore Reid Detmers gets the ball in the season opener against Connecticut.
No. 4 Louisville Heads to Sunshine State for Opening Weekend
February 14, 2019 | Baseball
The Cardinals begin a three-game series against No. 20 Connecticut in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday.
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #4 Louisville vs. #20 Connecticut Location: Lakeland, Fla. Venue: Joker Marchant Stadium (8,500) Twitter Updates: @LouisvilleBSB Game Notes: Louisville | UConn Friday, Feb. 15 | 6:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: None | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: So. LHP Reid Detmers UC: Sr. RHP Jeff Kersten Saturday, Feb. 16 | 3:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: None | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. LHP Nick Bennett UC: So. RHP Colby Dunlop Sunday, Feb. 17 | 1:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: None | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Sr. RHP Bryan Hoeing UC: TBA |
Radio coverage for all three games in Lakeland will be available on 93.9 The Ville. Live audio and scoring are available at GoCards.com.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
The Cardinals are set to begin head coach Dan McDonnell's 13th season and enter 2019 ranked as high as fourth in the national polls. UofL is coming off a 45-19 record in 2018, its seventh straight 40-win season and the 11th in 12 seasons under McDonnell. The Cardinals advanced to the championship round of an NCAA Regional for the seventh straight season.
Louisville returns 24 letterwinners from the 2018 squad, including seven position starters and 11 pitchers. All-American first baseman Logan Wyatt is back for his junior season after leading the team with a .339 average and 69 RBIs last season. Wyatt has been named a preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game.
Left-hander Nick Bennett also garnered preseason All-America recognition from the NCBWA and Perfect Game. The junior posted an 8-2 mark as a sophomore with a 2.84 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched. Bennett is a two-time All-ACC selection and was a Freshman All-American in 2017.
ABOUT CONNECTICUT
Connecticut begins 2019 ranked 20th in the Perfect Game preseason poll following a 37-22-1 mark and NCAA Regional Final appearance last year. The Huskies were picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll and return the AAC preseason Pitcher of the Year in Mason Feole.
Louisville and Connecticut have played 28 games previously, all from 2006-14. The Cardinals are 18-10 all-time against the Huskies, with a three-game sweep in the most recent meeting during the 2014 season.
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
- Louisville has 24 games on its schedule against teams ranked inside the top 25 in at least one of the six major preseason polls (Clemson, Connecticut, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Mississippi, NC State, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest).
- The Cardinals have won eight consecutive weekend series against nonconference opponents dating back to 2016, with a cumulative 23-1 record in those series.
- Louisville enters 2019 as an experienced bunch with 13 position players, seven starters, and 11 pitchers returning from last season.
- UofL closed the 2018 season by winning 25 of its last 33 games. The Cardinals were also 12-3 in the second half of the ACC schedule.
- Louisville started 20 different defensive lineups and submitted 44 different batting orders over its 64 games last season.
- Seven pitchers made weekend series starts in 2018 but the Cardinals used the same trio in the final seven weeks of the regular season -- Adam Wolf, Nick Bennett and Bobby Miller.
- Five different Louisville pitchers earned saves last season, including three in the series sweep at Pittsburgh (Shay Smiddy, Michael McAvene and Adam Elliott) on May 11-13.
- The Cardinals were 39-4 in 2018 when entering the ninth inning with a lead. From 2012-17, Louisville accumulated a six-year record of 266-3 when entering the ninth with a lead, including a 50-0 mark in 2017.
- On the mound, Louisville was 5th in the nation in 2018 in hits allowed per 9 IP (7.40), 19th in strikeouts per 9 IP (9.5) and 27th in ERA (3.53). UofL led the ACC in ERA and hits allowed per 9 IP.
- Louisville was ranked 5th in the nation and No. 1 in the ACC in stolen bases in 2018 with 125 in 149 attempts after ranking 17th in 2017 (98-of-123). The Cardinals were 12th in the NCAA in 2016 with 101 stolen bases, fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases in 2015, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
- Offensively in 2018, the Cardinals were 8th in the NCAA in sacrifice flies (36) 10th in walks (333), 11th in on-base percentage (.400) and 12th in doubles (131). Louisville led the ACC in doubles.
- UofL has won 31 of its 40 ACC series since joining the league and is 33-6 in its series finales during that span, including an 11-4 record in rubber games.
- The Cardinals have won 16 of their 20 ACC series at home since debuting in the conference.
- While at Louisville, coach Dan McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to four College World Series berths, seven NCAA Super Regional appearances, 11 NCAA Regional bids, eight regular season conference championships and two conference tournament titles with 37 All-Americans.
LOUISVILLE TABBED AS PRESEASON ACC FAVORITE
The Louisville baseball team was voted as the 2019 ACC preseason favorite by the league's 14 head coaches. The Cardinals were selected as the favorite in both the Atlantic Division and the conference.
Louisville received seven first place votes in the Atlantic Division and tallied 90 points to narrowly edge out Florida State, which picked up six votes for the top spot and 86 points. Clemson was third with 71 points followed by NC State (53), Wake Forest (49), Notre Dame (24) and Boston College (19).
North Carolina was a near unanimous selection to win the Coastal Division, as 13 coaches voted the Tar Heels in the top spot. Virginia received the other first place tally and is tied with Duke for the second position with 64 points. Miami (61), Georgia Tech (59), Pitt (24) and Virginia Tech (23) round out the rest of the division.
LOUISVILLE IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE START 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 during the 2017 season, has enjoyed a historic run by remaining ranked 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 25 in all six major preseason polls for 2019, the Cardinals have earned a preseason national ranking in 11 straight seasons (2008-2018) overall. Louisville enters the 2019 season ranked fourth in the D1Baseball rankings, eighth in the Perfect Game and USA Today polls, ninth in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and NCBWA rankings and 11th by Baseball America.
BENNETT AND WYATT RECEIVE 2019 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA RECOGNITION
A pair of Louisville players were named preseason All-Americans in 2019 by various organizations. Junior first baseman Logan Wyatt garnered preseason All-America honors from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game. Additionally, junior lefthanded pitcher Nick Bennett was a preseason All-America selection by the NCBWA and Perfect Game.
A Louisville native, Wyatt earned Third Team All-America recognition from Collegiate Baseball newspaper and was an All-ACC First Team honoree as a sophomore last season after hitting .339 with six home runs, 69 RBIs, 22 doubles, 63 walks, 51 runs scored, .559 slugging percentage and .490 on-base percentage. He closed 2018 ranked third in the NCAA in walks, 15th in on-base percentage, 17th in RBIs and 18th in doubles. Wyatt was also named to the 2018 NCAA All-Lubbock Regional Team after finishing 6-for-16 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in four NCAA Regional games.
Bennett, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, closed his sophomore season with an 8-2 record, 2.84 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 73.0 innings pitched, including 11 starts. He was an All-ACC Second Team honoree and was an All-ACC Academic Team selection in 2018. During his first collegiate season in 2017, Bennett earned Freshman All-America honors and was an All-ACC Third Team selection while accumulating a 5-1 record, 3.18 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 65.0 innings pitched and 15 total appearances, including 13 starts.
WYATT NAMED TO USA BASEBALL GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior first baseman Logan Wyatt was named to the preseason watch list for the 2019 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. The list features 55 of the nation's top amateur players across high school and college baseball.
Wyatt is the 11th Cardinal to appear on the preseason watch list since 2009, including Brendan McKay who won the Golden Spikes Award in 2017.
An All-American in 2018, Wyatt has garnered preseason All-America honors in 2019 from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game. The Louisville native was an All-ACC First Team honoree as a sophomore last season after hitting .339 with six home runs, 69 RBIs, 22 doubles, 63 walks, 51 runs scored, .559 slugging percentage and .490 on-base percentage. Wyatt was also named to the 2018 NCAA All-Lubbock Regional Team after finishing 6-for-16 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in four NCAA Regional games.
LOUISVILLE LEADS COUNTRY IN WINS SINCE 2007
Dan McDonnell took the reins of the Louisville baseball program in 2007. Since that time, the Cardinals are tied with Florida State for the most wins in all of Division I with 554.
| Most Wins Since 2007 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Louisville | 554 | |
| Florida State | 554 | |
| 3. LSU | 549 | |
| North Carolina | 549 | |
| 5. Vanderbilt | 536 | |
LOUISVILLE 2018 RECRUITING CLASS AMONG BEST IN COUNTRY
The University of Louisville baseball program received its highest recruiting ranking in program history after D1Baseball tabbed the 2018 class at No. 3 in the nation. Louisville's 2018 class was also ranked fourth nationally by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
The 2018 class ranking marked the ninth time in the last 11 years Louisville has earned a top 25 national recruiting ranking under the guidance of head coach Dan McDonnell. The Cardinals had the top class in the ACC according to D1Baseball and was among five ACC programs in the top 25 classes – No. 6 Florida State, No. 8 Miami, No. 12 Clemson and No. 17 Virginia.
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 371-107 record (.776 winning percentage), including an impressive 33-4 mark during the 2017 season at the corner of Third and Central. Louisville set a school record for home wins with 36 in 2016 and the Cardinals have registered 30 or more wins at home in four of the last six seasons.
BENNETT, FITZGERALD, PINKHAM, WYATT NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Lefthanded pitcher Nick Bennett, infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, catcher Zeke Pinkham and first baseman Logan Wyatt have been selected by University of Louisville players and coaches as team captains for the Cardinals baseball team in 2019.
Bennett, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, closed his sophomore season with an 8-2 record, 2.84 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 73.0 innings pitched, including 11 starts. He was an All-ACC Second Team honoree and was an All-ACC Academic Team selection in 2018. During his first collegiate season in 2017, Bennett earned Freshman All-America honors and was an All-ACC Third Team selection while accumulating a 5-1 record, 3.18 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 65.0 innings pitched and 15 total appearances, including 13 starts.
A junior from Rochester, Illinois, Fitzgerald had a .264 batting average with three home runs, 17 doubles, 24 RBIs, 57 runs scored and 23 stolen bases in 24 attempts while playing in all 64 games in 2018, including 63 starts. Fitzgerald was named to the 2018 All-ACC Academic Team.
Hailing from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Pinkham has made 58 appearances with 26 starts behind the plate during his three seasons with the Cardinals. After missing the 41 games of 2018 recovering from off-season injury, Pinkham closed his junior season with 17 appearances and 11 starts.
A Louisville native, Wyatt earned Third Team All-America recognition from Collegiate Baseball newspaper and was an All-ACC First Team honoree as a sophomore after hitting .339 with six home runs, 69 RBIs, 22 doubles, 63 walks, 51 runs scored, .559 slugging percentage and .490 on-base percentage. He closed the 2018 season ranked third in the NCAA in walks, 15th in on-base percentage, 17th in RBIs and 18th in doubles. Wyatt was also named to the 2018 NCAA All-Lubbock Regional Team after finishing 6-for-16 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in four NCAA Regional games.
ALL LOUISVILLE BASEBALL GAMES SLATED FOR RADIO COVERAGE
Each of Louisville's 56 regular season games as well as all postseason games can be heard on radio locally in Louisville and online via TuneIn.com.
Sean Moth will once again be on the call of Louisville baseball games this spring, while 93.9 The Ville will serve as the flagship station for the fifth consecutive season. Selected games during the regular season will be broadcast on 1450 WXVW.
ESPN Louisville, the group behind local stations ESPN 680 and 105.7 FM, launched 93.9 The Ville, powered by ESPN, on Jan. 29, 2015. The station provides coverage of the Cardinals through an official partnership with Louisville Sports Properties, which represents UofL athletics.
LOUISVILLE TO PLAY 52 GAMES ON ESPN NETWORKS
Louisville's 2019 television schedule features 52 of 56 regular season games set for ESPN platforms. The 52 regular season games scheduled for television coverage matches the 2018 season for most in program history.
The television schedule is headlined by a pair of games slated for ESPNU. The Cardinals will host Vanderbilt on May 7 in the annual Battle of the Barrel and will later appear on ESPNU May 14 at Indiana.
Forty-eight of the 52 games will be televised exclusively on ACC Network Extra, available on WatchESPN and the ESPN app. The Cardinals will also appear on SEC Network+ on the road at Kentucky on April 16 and on ESPN+ at Eastern Kentucky March 19.
SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES FOR LOUISVILLE
As the University of Louisville baseball team turns its focus to the spring semester and the 2019 season, the Cardinals completed another strong performance in the classroom in the 2018 fall semester registering a cumulative 3.277 GPA marking the 15th consecutive semester the program has achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or better.
Overall, 33 members of the Louisville baseball team closed the 2018 fall semester with a 3.0 GPA or better. The current stretch of academic success for the Cardinals dates back to the fall semester in 2011. The span of 15 straight semesters with a team GPA of 3.0 of better coincides with unparalleled success on the field for Louisville, which has three College World Series appearances, five NCAA Super Regional berths, seven NCAA Regional bids and six conference championships during those seven seasons.
The 2018 fall semester culminated with a trio of Louisville baseball alumni – pitcher Cody Ege, infielder Blake Tiberi and pitcher Adam Wolf – earning their undergraduate degrees from UofL. Ege pitched three seasons for the Cardinals from 2011-13 before signing professionally with the Texas Rangers as a 15th round selection in the 2013 MLB Draft. Tiberi was a member of the Cardinals from 2014-16 prior to signing with the New York Mets after being selected in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Wolf pitched three seasons for Louisville from 2016-18 before signing with the Detroit Tigers after going in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
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