Cardinal Baseball Enters Final Month With A Great Deal To Prove

Mark BlankenbakerApril 26, 2016

NOTE: Due to potential rain in the forecast, first pitch for the No. 6 Louisville baseball team’s home game against FIU on Wednesday (April 27) at Jim Patterson Stadium has been changed to 5 p.m., ET. The game, which was originally set for 6:30 p.m., ET, kicks off a five-game homestand for the Cardinals (31-9, 14-7 ACC).

Louisville Baseball is #6 in the Nation according to the NCBWA and is #2 in the RPI heading into the final month of the season. The Cards began the season with incredible expectations as the nation’s #2 team…………but they haven’t done one very important thing this season:

Louisville Baseball hasn’t won a series away from Jim Patterson Stadium.

Tomorrow night, we’ll see the 31-9 Cards take on Florida International (19-22) at home & this weekend UofL will host out-of-conference foe St. John’s for a 3 game home set. Win or lose we won’t learn a lot about the Cards….. we already know that Louisville Baseball can win games & series at home. Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and Clemson were swept and defending national champion Virginia dropped 2 of 3 at Jim Patterson Stadium. We know that the Cards can win games on its home field, but what the Cards need to prove to themselves is: Can they win on the Road?

Alarms went off this past weekend when Louisville dropped 2 of 3 to Boston College on its home field. Dropping road series to RPI #5 Ole Miss, RPI #7 Miami, and RPI #6 Florida State individually are no reason to react negatively. It’s baseball. But when Louisville wants to get to Omaha and make a run at a championship, those are golden opportunities to build towards the title. Losing one is not cause for Alarm….losing all 3 & then dropping the series to Boston College certainly is.

Dan McDonnell’s crew has 3 opportunities remaining before starting play in the NCAA to prove to itself and the Selection Committee that the Cards are deserving of a National Seed and a strong contender for Omaha. Louisville needs to seize all 3, starting with the Derby week road trip to #19/#16 North Carolina. Following that the Cards will host #10/#8 N.C. State and then will travel to Wake Forest NR/#32.

From there the Cards are going to need to place a great emphasis on the ACC Tournament in order to assure itself of a national seed. Or they are going to need to win at least one or both of its final two remaining road series in the regular season. The Cards shouldn’t give the committee a reason to omit themselves from being a national seed…winning on the road is the only hole in the résumé, it’s time to get it done.

Lost Series

February 26-28, 2016: Ole Miss 2-1 (Away)

March 18-20, 2016: Miami 2-1 (Away)

April 8-10, 2016: Florida State 2-1 (Away)

April 22-24, 2016: Boston College 2-1 (Away)

Won Series

February 19-21, 2016: SIU-Edwardsville 3-0 (Home)

March 4-6, 2016: Princeton 3-0 (Home)

March 11-12, 2016: Notre Dame 3-0 (Home)

March 25-27, 2016: Virginia 2-1 (Home)

April 2-4, 2016: Virginia Tech 3-0 (Home)

April 15-17, 2016: Clemson 3-0 Home)