2014 Louisville Super Regional
Louisville Cardinals
Louisville, Kentucky
At-large bid from American Athletic
Conference, Won Louisville Regional
2014 record: 19-5,
48-15 (first)
Head coach: Dan
McDonnell (The Citadel, 1999, 1995)
Record at school:
312-143, 7 years
Overall record:
988-534-2, 25 years
Assistant coaches:
Roger Williams, Chris Lemonis, Kyle Cheesebrough
Team offense:
.286 BA, 401 R, 31 HR, .400 SLG%, .380 OBP, 127-160 SB
Team pitching:
2.78 ERA, 567 IP, 465 H, 232 BB, 529 K
Top hitters:
Jeff Gardner (.326/9/67/20 2B), Cole Sturgeon (.325/2/31/18-23
SB), Alex Chittenden (.299/1/29/10 2B), Grant Kay
(.284/5/35/22-25 SB), Zach Lucas (.267/5/44), Sutton Whiting
(.215/2/17/36-42 SB)
Top pitchers:
Kyle Funkhouser (13-2, 1.68 ERA, 107.1 IP, 76 H, 54 BB, 110 K),
Jared Ruxer (7-1, 2.27 ERA, 75.1 IP, 62 H, 16 BB, 68 K), Nick
Burdi (3-1, 16 SV, 0.54 ERA, 33.1 IP, 15 H, 10 BB, 58 K), Kyle
McGrath (1-1, 1.42 ERA, 38 IP, 23 H, 11 BB, 39 K)
Last NCAA Appearance:
2013 (3-0 Louisville Regional, 2-0 at Nashville Super Regional,
College World Series 0-2)
Notes:
Since Dan McDonnell took over the baseball program in 2007, he
has had 15 All-Americans, 54 all-conference selections, five
conference pitcher-of-the-year winners and 33 players go to the
MLB. Last year the Cardinals made it to the College World Series
and won 51 games. Louisville is the only program from the eight
in Omaha a year ago still alive in this year's tournament. Nick
Burdi and Jeff Thompson both earned All-American honors in 2013,
while Kyle Funkhouser and Anthony Kidston were named Freshmen
All-Americans. Burdi was a second-round pick of the Minnesota
Twins in the 2014 MLB Draft. He became the highest selection in
program history at No. 46 overall, 10 spots better than Trystan
Magnuson at No. 56 by Toronto in 2007. Burdi is a finalist for
the Stopper of the Year Award. Louisville is 41-0 this season
leading after eight innings and have won 98 straight when up
after eight dating back to May 2012. The Cards have won 53
straight when scoring five or more runs, including 37-0 this
season.
Kennesaw State Owls
Kennesaw, Georgia
Automatic bid – won A-Sun
Tournament Title, Won Tallahassee Regional
2014 Record:
17-9, 37-21
(third in Atlantic Sun)
Head Coach:
Mike Sansing
(West Georgia)
Record at School:
882-587, 23
years
Overall Record:
984-506, 26
years
Assistant
Coaches:
Kevin
Erminio, Derek Simmons, Trey Fowler
Team offense:
.301 BA, 358
R, 27 HR, 57-77 SB
Team pitching:
3.54 ERA,
532 IP, 540 H, 199 BB, 435 K
Top hitters:
Max
Pentecost (.423/9/55), Bo Way (.364/2/29), Alex Liquori
(.363/1/42), Jacob Bruce (.286/1/26), Chris McGowan (.281/4/43),
Brennan Morgan (.279/4/39)
Top pitchers:
James
Connell (7-3, 2.11 ERA, 2 SV, 42.2 IP, 40 H, 14 BB, 59 K),
Justin McCalvin (4-3, 2.24 ERA, 14 SV, 56.1 P, 39 H, 18 BB, 56
K), Travis Bergen (7-4, 2.74 ERA, 82 IP, 88 H, 12 BB, 70 K),
Chris Erwin (3-1, 3.16 ERA, 42.2 IP, 34 H, 24 BB, 33 K), Gabe
Friese (2-1, 3.29 ERA, 65.2 IP, 67 H, 15 BB, 38 K), Jordan
Hillyer (7-3, 3.36 ERA, 93.2 IP, 94 H, 30 BB, 71 K)
Last NCAA
appearance:
First NCAA
Appearance
Notes:
Kennesaw
State has won 24 of 25 after sweeping four games in the A-Sun
tourney title to claim its first NCAA Regional berth. The Owls
joined Division I in 2010 after a rich baseball history: they
won the 1994 NAIA national title and the 1996 NCAA Division II
crown under current coach Mike Sansing, a native of nearby
Atlanta. Baseball America cited Kennesaw State as the
“Best Division II Program of the 1990s.” Catcher Max Pentecost
is one of the best backstops in the country and was a
seventh-round pick of the Rangers out of high school. Pentecost
is second in the nation in hitting at .423. Justin McCalvin has
been steady for three years out of the bullpen, last year
notching a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings. Bo Way is a dynamic
centerfielder who has improved on his .314 average a year ago.
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