Friday, February 17
Louisville, Ky.
3:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
Bucknell
Cardinals Open Season Friday Against Bucknell
February 16, 2023 | Baseball
The 2023 season begins at 3 p.m. ET on Friday at Jim Patterson Stadium.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville baseball team begins its 2023 season on Friday at 3 p.m. ET with the first of three games against Bucknell at Jim Patterson Stadium. The series continues with games Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. All three contests will be televised on ACC Network Extra with radio coverage available on 970 WGTK. Saturday's game will also be broadcast on 93.9 The Ville.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
Louisville heads into the 2023 campaign after posting a 42-21-1 overall record last spring and capturing the program's fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in seven full seasons. The Cardinals reached the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the last 15 years and earned their ninth NCAA Super Regional berth.
Dan McDonnell begins his 17th season at the helm of the Louisville program in 2023. The Louisville head coach is 688-287-1 in his time in The Ville and is the second winningest active coach by percentage with at least five years of Division I coaching experience.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville and Bucknell are meeting for the first time this weekend. UofL is 4-3 all-time against the six current baseball members of the Patriot League, going 3-2 against Army and 1-1 versus Navy.
TEAM NOTES
RARE SEASON OPENING HOME SERIES FOR CARDINALS IN 2023
Since Dan McDonnell arrived at Louisville in 2007, the Cardinals have traditionally opened the season away from the friendly confines of Jim Patterson Stadium.
This weekend's series against Bucknell will mark just the fifth time in 17 years the Cardinals have opened a season on their home turf, and just the third time in the last 13 years.
Louisville took 2-of-3 from Cleveland State in 2008 and completed three-game sweeps of Bowling Green (2010), SIU Edwardsville (2016) and Bellarmine (2021) in its previous season opening series at home.
CARDS RANKED AS HIGH AS FIVE IN PRESEASON POLLS
Louisville will open the 2023 season nationally ranked in all six major polls. The Cardinals highest ranking came at No. 5 by Baseball America. Louisville was also inside the top 10 according to Collegiate Baseball (No. 6), Perfect Game (No. 7) and the NCBWA (No. 10).
The Cardinals were ranked No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and came in at No. 16 from D1Baseball.
Louisville opened the 2022 season unranked for the first time since Dan McDonnell's first season in 2007, but reached as high as No. 3 during the regular season and received the No. 12 national seed in the NCAA postseason.
McDONNELL CLOSING IN ON 700 WINS
Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell enters the 2023 season with 688 career wins. The man in charge will eclipse 700 wins this spring, putting him in rare company.
McDonnell will be just the ninth active coach in Division I baseball to win 700 games at the first head coaching stop and just the third at a Power Five school – John Anderson (Minnesota) and Brian O'Connor (Virginia).
McDonnell enters 2023 ranked second in active winning percentage (.705 - 16 seasons) among coaches that have coached at least five seasons at the Division I level, trailing only Tony Vitello at Tennessee (.713 - five seasons). During McDonnell's tenure, the Cardinals have made five College World Series appearances, captured 11 conference titles, reached the postseason 13 times and rank second nationally with 688 wins over that span.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS
Louisville heads into the 2023 campaign after posting a 42-21-1 overall record last spring and capturing the program's fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in seven full seasons. The Cardinals reached the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the last 15 years and earned their ninth NCAA Super Regional berth.
Dan McDonnell begins his 17th season at the helm of the Louisville program in 2023. The Louisville head coach is 688-287-1 in his time in The Ville and is the second winningest active coach by percentage with at least five years of Division I coaching experience.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville and Bucknell are meeting for the first time this weekend. UofL is 4-3 all-time against the six current baseball members of the Patriot League, going 3-2 against Army and 1-1 versus Navy.
TEAM NOTES
- Louisville is 12-4 in season opening games under Dan McDonnell, including wins in eight of the last nine openers.
- The Cards are 14-2 in home openers during Dan McDonnell's first 16 seasons.
- Louisville has an .846 winning percentage (132-24) in regular season non-conference games since the start of 2016, including a 107-12 (.899) mark in regular season non-conference home games.
- The Cardinals return four position player starters (Logan Beard, Isaac Humphrey, Christian Knapczyk, Jack Payton) and 11 pitchers that recorded at least 10 innings last season.
- Fifteen different pitchers started a game on the mound last season for the Cards, seven of which return in 2023. Riley Phillips is the most experienced returner in the role, having started 13 times last spring.
- Entering the 2023 season, Louisville leads all ACC teams in total wins, conference wins, batting average, runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBIs, total bases, on-base percentage, stolen bases, innings pitched, ERA, shutouts, saves and opponents' batting average since it joined the ACC prior to the 2015 season.
- UofL has stolen 811 bases since joining the ACC in 2015, more than any other conference team has attempted.
RARE SEASON OPENING HOME SERIES FOR CARDINALS IN 2023
Since Dan McDonnell arrived at Louisville in 2007, the Cardinals have traditionally opened the season away from the friendly confines of Jim Patterson Stadium.
This weekend's series against Bucknell will mark just the fifth time in 17 years the Cardinals have opened a season on their home turf, and just the third time in the last 13 years.
Louisville took 2-of-3 from Cleveland State in 2008 and completed three-game sweeps of Bowling Green (2010), SIU Edwardsville (2016) and Bellarmine (2021) in its previous season opening series at home.
CARDS RANKED AS HIGH AS FIVE IN PRESEASON POLLS
Louisville will open the 2023 season nationally ranked in all six major polls. The Cardinals highest ranking came at No. 5 by Baseball America. Louisville was also inside the top 10 according to Collegiate Baseball (No. 6), Perfect Game (No. 7) and the NCBWA (No. 10).
The Cardinals were ranked No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and came in at No. 16 from D1Baseball.
Louisville opened the 2022 season unranked for the first time since Dan McDonnell's first season in 2007, but reached as high as No. 3 during the regular season and received the No. 12 national seed in the NCAA postseason.
McDONNELL CLOSING IN ON 700 WINS
Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell enters the 2023 season with 688 career wins. The man in charge will eclipse 700 wins this spring, putting him in rare company.
McDonnell will be just the ninth active coach in Division I baseball to win 700 games at the first head coaching stop and just the third at a Power Five school – John Anderson (Minnesota) and Brian O'Connor (Virginia).
McDonnell enters 2023 ranked second in active winning percentage (.705 - 16 seasons) among coaches that have coached at least five seasons at the Division I level, trailing only Tony Vitello at Tennessee (.713 - five seasons). During McDonnell's tenure, the Cardinals have made five College World Series appearances, captured 11 conference titles, reached the postseason 13 times and rank second nationally with 688 wins over that span.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
Players Mentioned
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