The nationally ranked Louisville baseball team will conduct its first full-squad practice for the 2010 season on Friday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Head coach Dan McDonnell’s fourth Louisville squad, ranked in the top 20 in three major preseason polls including 13th by Baseball America, will continue preparations for its 2010 season-opener against Bowling Green on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. ET at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Cardinals and Falcons will meet in a three-game series with game two set for Feb. 20 at 1 p.m., and game three scheduled for Feb. 21 at 1 p.m.
The Cards enter 2010 as the preseason favorite to win their second straight BIG EAST Conference title. Louisville swept the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in 2009 and finished the season ranked 15th overall after advancing to their second NCAA Super Regional in three seasons.
Louisville returns seven position starters for 2010, including All-American third baseman Phil Wunderlich, along with most of the pitching staff from their 2009 squad, which finished with a 47-18 record overall.
Wunderlich led the Cardinals in hitting in 2009 with a .367 average, was second on the team with 18 home runs and 78 RBI and was third on the team with 18 doubles en route to being named Second Team All-America by the NCBWA and Second Team All-BIG EAST. Louisville also welcomes back All-BIG EAST performers Andrew Clark (senior first baseman), Adam Duvall (senior second base) and Thomas Royse (junior right-handed pitcher) for 2010.
In McDonnell’s three seasons in Louisville, the Cardinals have made three straight NCAA appearances overall, two NCAA Super Regional appearances and one College World Series appearance. Louisville also ranks sixth nationally with 135 wins over the last three seasons for an average of 45 victories per year.
2010 Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner Just Eight Days Away
The 2010 Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner sponsored by Republic Bank is set for Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. ET in the South Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center and tickets are still available.
National League Rookie of the Year and Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan and New York Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur will headline the event. Tickets for the event can be purchased for $50 each by calling (502) 852-2015 or by completing the registration form above and emailing it to specialevents@louisville.edu.
