No. 4 Louisville and No. 20 UConn to Open Season at Publix Field Feb. 15-17
Lakeland, FL - The fourth-ranked University of Louisville baseball team will open its 2019 season Feb. 15-17 with a three-game series against No. 20 Connecticut. The series will be played at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers and Florida State League home
Lakeland, FL - The fourth-ranked University of Louisville baseball team will open its 2019 season Feb. 15-17 with a three-game series against No. 20 Connecticut. The series will be played at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers and Florida State League home of the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 15, with the Feb. 16 game set for 3 p.m. and the series finale Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. Gates to Publix Field will open one hour prior to the start of each game. Tickets are $10 and are available at the BayCare Box Office at Publix Field. For ticket information, please call 863-413-4140 or visit LakelandFlyingTigers.com.
The Cardinals are set to begin head coach Dan McDonnell's 13th season and enter 2019 ranked as high as fourth in the national polls. UofL is coming off a 45-19 record in 2018, its seventh straight 40-win season and the 11th in 12 seasons under McDonnell. The Cardinals advanced to the championship round of an NCAA Regional for the seventh straight season.
Louisville returns 24 letter winners from the 2018 squad, including seven position starters and 11 pitchers. All-American first baseman Logan Wyatt is back for his junior season after leading the team with a .339 average and 69 RBIs last season. Wyatt has been named a preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball and Perfect Game.
Left-hander Nick Bennett also garnered preseason All-America recognition from Perfect Game. The junior posted an 8-2 mark as a sophomore with a 2.84 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched. Bennett is a two-time All-ACC selection and was a Freshman All-American in 2017.
Connecticut begins 2019 ranked 20th in the Perfect Game preseason poll following a 37-22-1 mark and NCAA Regional Final appearance last year. The Huskies were picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll and return the AAC preseason Pitcher of the Year in Mason Feole.
Louisville and Connecticut have played 28 games previously, all from 2006-14. The Cardinals are 18-10 all-time against the Huskies, with a three-game sweep in the most recent meeting during the 2014 season.
For more information, please visit call the Tigers at (863) 686-8075 or visit LakelandFlyingTigers.com.