Dan McDonnell & Players Preview NCAA +Accolades

Mark BlankenbakerMay 28, 2015

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Zack Burdi to Join USA Collegiate National Team

Louisville sophomore righthanded pitcher Zack Burdi has received and accepted an invitation to join the 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

A native of Downers Grove, Ill., Burdi is the second member of the Cardinals to earn a Team USA invitation joining sophomore outfielder Corey Ray, who accepted a roster spot on the 24-player squad last week.

An All-ACC First Team selection, Burdi has nine saves and a 5-0 record to go along with a 0.75 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 24.0 innings pitched and 17 relief appearances this season as Louisville closer. On May 3, the hard-throwing Burdi registered a trio of fastballs at 101 mph on the Doug Klingsmore Stadium radar gun in a save at Clemson.

The USA Collegiate National Team will compete in international friendship series against Chinese Taipei and Cuba in North Carolina, as well as participating in the Americas Baseball Festival against the Canadian Senior National Team, the Cuban National Team and the USA Baseball Pan American Games Team. The summer schedule begins on June 20 and will continue through July 8.

Burdi is the ninth Louisville player to earn an invitation from the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team joining Ray (2015), Kyle Funkhouser (2014), Nick Burdi (2013), Ryan Wright (2010), Phil Wunderlich (2009), Tony Zych (2009), Justin Marks (2008) and Mark Jurich (2002). Burdi is also the 16th player coached or signed by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, who served as an assistant with the 2009 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, to earn international baseball experience.

Guided by St. John’s head coach Ed Blankmeyer, the 2015 USA Collegiate National Team will report to Cary, N.C., on June 18 before kicking off the summer schedule against the Holly Springs Salamanders of the Coastal Plain League on June 20 at the National Training Complex.

The Cardinals, chosen as the No. 3 national seed in the 2015 Championship, will open the Louisville Regional on Friday at 6 p.m., ET against Morehead State. The NCAA Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium will begin at 2 p.m., on Friday with Bradley taking on Michigan.

Zack Burdi & Kyle Funkhouser Named Louisville Slugger All-Americans

Louisville pitchers Zack Burdi and Kyle Funkhouser were named on Thursday as Louisville Slugger Third Team All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

An All-ACC First Team selection as a sophomore in 2015, Burdi has nine saves and a 5-0 record to go along with a 0.75 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 24.0 innings pitched and 17 relief appearances this season as Louisville closer. On May 3, the hard-throwing righty from Downers Grove, Illinois registered a trio of fastballs at 101 mph on the Doug Klingsmore Stadium radar gun in a save at Clemson.

Funkhouser, also selected as a Louisville Slugger All-American in 2014, enters his third postseason with the Cardinals at 7-5 on the mound with a 3.29 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 15 starts and 98.1 innings pitched. A two-year all-conference righty from Oak Forest, Illinois, Funkhouser ranks second in career wins at Louisville with a 25-9 collegiate record, second in career strikeouts with 270, seventh in career starts with 39 and seventh in innings pitched at 273.1.

In Dan McDonnell’s nine seasons as head coach, Louisville has produced a total of 20 All-American selections. The Cardinals, chosen as the No. 3 national seed in the 2015 Championship, will open the Louisville Regional on Friday at 6 p.m., ET against Morehead State. The NCAA Regional at Jim Patterson Stadium will begin at 2 p.m., on Friday with Bradley taking on Michigan.