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<\/p>\nFrom 2007 nostalgia and RV parties to the 2026 roster, we explore the history and future of Louisville baseball in Omaha.<\/p>\n
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Hey, what\u2019s up Louisville? Chances are, if the last name looks familiar to you, and you\u2019ve hung around local Twitter (now Bluesky \u2013 I quit Twitter for purely political reasons), then you\u2019ve seen what started as me live-tweeting Louisville baseball<\/a> games from on top of an RV in left field somewhere around 2009\/2010. <\/p>\n If memory serves me, I\u2019m almost certain I had 3 followers (give or take), until Mark Ennis quote-tweeted one of those and made some joke about \u2018we now have a guy-live tweeting Louisville baseball \u2013 we\u2019ve arrived.\u201d After that, my following exploded to literally tens of followers, and here we are years later. <\/p>\n That\u2019s my joke, there\u2019s the hook, so now let\u2019s talk baseball \u2013 but we\u2019re going to travel a bit back in time before we get to the current squad that takes the field on February 13th.<\/p>\n A trip down memory lane<\/p>\n George Carlin once said \u201cBaseball is pastoral.\u201d <\/p>\n For context, he was comparing it to football and the ways in which the two sports differ and how baseball and its fans tend to take the sport too seriously, all the way down to its \u2018unwritten rules.\u2019 I never stepped on chalk lines, I put my left cleat on first every time, and I always dug my back (right) foot into the batter\u2019s box first. Things like \u2018never discussing a no-hitter,\u2019 or not washing your pants after a game, whichever baseball superstition you believe in whole-heatedly is fine, but the bottom line is that it\u2019s a game that thinks way too highly of itself most of the time. It\u2019s a gorgeous game though, and recent improvements like the pitch clock have made otherwise plodding slogs of contests relatively more easy to watch or listen to.<\/p>\n I was a freshman at UofL in 2003, and my first baseball game at Old Cardinal Stadium was in 2004. I played AAU ball with and against a bunch of those guys \u2013 Jason Payton, Isaiah Howes, Dan Burton (lifelong friend and New Albany High School teammate), Scott Jenkins just to name a few. I say my first game was at Old Cardinal\u2026it was in the stands. <\/p>\n Getting a total of one offer to play in the NAIA ranks was the extent of my talent, so I had to watch these guys in the days where you could prop your feet up on the dugout and if you yelled at the ump there was a good chance he\u2019d hear you because the cavernous empty stadium echoed the sound right to his ears. <\/p>\n Just two years removed from their first EVER (more on that in a minute) NCAA tournament appearance, All-American Mark Jurich was a senior that year, which might have been the only notable thing about that bunch who lost to USC to open the season but did notch a win over Kentucky in Lexington before going two-and-barbecue (0-2) in the Conference USA Tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Build it and they will come<\/p>\n 2005 was similar, but with a different backdrop. Gone were games in Old Cardinal Stadium and in was the brand new, pristine, Jim Patterson Stadium, with field turf in the infield instead of astroturf over concrete. It was a shock to see such a modern, nice facility for a program with one tournament appearance and exactly zero tradition and history. Boomer Whiting and J.T. LaFountain led the team in batting average, BJ Rosenberg led in wins with 5, and Griffin Bailey posted the best ERA on the staff. That team went 0-2 against Kentucky, and 0-2 again in the C-USA Tournament, though they did post a winning record overall and in-conference.<\/p>\n Again in 2006, you could start to see something different, this time within the team and not just in the facility itself. Lelo Prado had the team at least visibly performing better. From my eyes, they were starting to knock on the door of the middle-top of Conference USA and it felt like stealing an at-large bid to their second NCAA tournament was not too far-fetched an idea, although that team started 0-6. In that pitching rotation was a freshman pitcher named Chad Green \u2013 yeah, THAT Chad Green, although not during that season. <\/p>\n They had a freshman infielder that year named Chris Dominguez \u2013 yeah, THAT Chris Dominguez, although not during that season. Six guys finished the season that year batting over .300, and a couple breaks one way or another and that year could have had a much better outcome than 31-29 and 17-10 in the conference, but alas\u2026no NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n How Dan McDonnell changed everything<\/p>\n Do we need to talk about 2007? I\u2019ve taken you down memory lane for that reason, because for me, your new State of Louisville Baseball Writer, 2007 is why I\u2019m here. Lelo Prado split for South Florida to coach the Bulls. He had won his 300th career game at UofL, and felt like USF gave him a better shot at consistent postseason opportunities. <\/p>\n Then-Athletic Director Tom Jurich tapped Ole Miss assistant Dan McDonnell to lead the Cardinals (I may refer to him as DFM \u2013 but you can pick whether or not you say \u2018frickin\u2019 when emphasizing that \u2018F\u2019). <\/p>\n Beating Miami in a regional final. Temporary bleachers at Jim Patterson Stadium, Oklahoma State and their history. I still get a little emotional thinking about it, and you can still find \u2018Why Not Us\u2019 by Mike Rutherford over at Card Chronicle who writes circles around me, which is a full history of that run to Omaha. Omaha. It seemed impossible. <\/p>\n You just wanted the team to make the tournament, and then they did. And then there I was, finding Dan Burton after the final out, he was on one side of the backstop netting and I was on the other. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Two kids from New Albany who grew up playing together and neither of us could process what the heck has just taken place. I remember the only words exchanged in that moment were \u2018AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!\u2019 as he was fresh off of Louisville\u2019s first ever dogpile. It felt monumental, but I don\u2019t think anyone could have predicted the run of success to come.<\/p>\n Things changed after that. Once the slipper fits, you want to shed the Cinderella title. You want number two. You want to hear Adam Duritz of Counting Crows singing \u2018\u2026somewhere in middle america\u2019 again (did I get choked up writing that? Yeah, I\u2019m not too proud to admit). The fans were starting to notice and to go to more games. Left Field became a thing \u2013 and I can\u2019t to this day thank George, Andrew, and Nick (may he rest peacefully) Rodman for the chance to enjoy games from the top of their RV. <\/p>\n The ESPN cameras loved finding us out there, and we loved playing to the cameras. It was always a party, make no mistake, and I had the sunburns and hangovers to prove it. We tossed beers back and forth from RV to RV, sang karaoke, coordinated cheers with the students watching from the roofs of the houses along 3rd Street. Baseball in Louisville, from the college standpoint, had truly arrived, and to this day the one conspiracy I firmly believe, because I was 25 feet from the foul pole in left field, is that that homerun was a foul ball. You know what I\u2019m talking about.<\/p>\n Also read: 5 local Louisville restaurants you need to try today<\/a><\/p>\n Nostalgia to now <\/p>\n It\u2019s 2026, and we are almost ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that first trip to Omaha, and there have been five since. Six trips to Omaha, and last year\u2019s Cardinals made the baseball equivalent of the Final Four. That team last year was full of warriors, guys who had endured backbreaking losses that kept them out of the tournament the previous two years since the 2022 team lost to Texas A&M in the College Station Super Regional. We won\u2019t talk about the COVID-shortened 2020 season, because you could also probably make me say \u201cLouisville baseball was going to win the College World Series in 2020\u201d and it wouldn\u2019t take an ounce of bourbon to make me say it.<\/p>\n Sandwiched in between the last two College World Series appearances and the Super Regional run in 2022 were three really uninspiring seasons. Pitching seemed to be\u2026off. Timely hitting seemed to escape those squads. Complimentary baseball was something that I was just yelling at my TV while just HOPING that I could fire off one of my complete nonsense home run tweets. Yeah those are probably also why I\u2019m here. I know some former players used to have fun with those too. Alex Binelas and his family would name-search him on twitter and give them a like, probably wondering \u2018is that guy ok upstairs?\u2019 while doing so. Not to call out Alex, but he was the subject of a LOT of really dumb home run celebration tweets, although I don\u2019t think one stands out as much perhaps as whichever one came after Cam Masterman broke Michigan\u2019s heart in 2022.<\/p>\n How can you not be romantic about baseball? For me it\u2019s always been more about how can you continue to make baseball fun and irreverent so that it\u2019s not the sport that takes itself too seriously? We took the long way to the point by tripping through some of the depths of my personal fan hood that include precisely those efforts that started in 2007, continued through the 2010s, and now here we are in 2026. <\/p>\n So\u2026who is THIS Louisville team? Who is going to take the field against Michigan State next month when the season opens at home? <\/p>\n 2026 Louisville baseball roster breakdown <\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive in to your 2026 Louisville baseball team that starts the season ranked #8 by D1 Baseball and #16 by Perfect Game. After Kamau Neighbors<\/a>, Tanner Shiver<\/a>, Garett Pike<\/a>, and Brennyn Cutts <\/a>exhausted their eligibility, losing Eddie King Jr.<\/a> (GOAT), Jake Munroe<\/a>, Patrick Forbes<\/a>, Matt Klein<\/a>, Tucker Biven<\/a>, Justin West<\/a>, and ridiculously talented high school signee Peter Kussow<\/a> to the MLB draft, and Tagger Tyson<\/a>, Nate Earley,<\/a> Alex Gay<\/a>, Ethan Edinger<\/a>, Michael Lippe<\/a> (I was hoping he\u2019d stay) and Jared Lessman<\/a> to the portal, I think the roster plays out like this.<\/p>\n I\u2019m just going to start by lobbing two names out \u2013 Zion Rose<\/a> and Lucas Moore, so we are starting in the outfield. Both of those guys were gigantic, humongous, in that run to Omaha last year, and they return as pre-season All Americans. Two of the most consistent and reliable presences on the diamond are back to anchor what is shaping up to be another dynamic offense and outfield presence. <\/p>\n Lucas Moore<\/a> is a fast, fast man, and I can\u2019t wait to see him add to his stolen base totals this season. Ben Slanker<\/a>, an All-MAC newcomer from Ohio U via the transfer portal, should fill that third outfield spot. Griffin Crain<\/a> and Kyle Campbell<\/a>, both sophomores, should get some decent mid-week run in the outfield, and Chase Porter<\/a>, a Freshman, has a shot to see some innings, especially early on if games are out of hand in UofL\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n Infield depth and new faces<\/p>\n In the infield, Junior Alex Alicea<\/a> returns as almost assuredly one of the top Shortstops in the ACC and nationally. With a solid year, he\u2019ll find his way toward the top of the draft as well as all-ACC honors. He\u2019s one that no matter where in the batting order he finds himself, he\u2019s always an on-base threat, with incredible speed. He\u2019ll get some pressure from dynamic impact freshman Kade Elam<\/a>, which is incredible since he is a Kentucky Mr. Baseball out of Corbin, and ranked as #99 in Perfect Game\u2019s top incoming freshmen. When Alicea is gone, Elam will be in line to be the next great Louisville baseball shortstop. In a pinch, we may see Elam take the mound as well, but I think he\u2019ll see more time backing up Alicea and playing in a mid-week role. <\/p>\n Shortstop is rounded out freshmen Zach Davis<\/a> and Collin Ossenbaugh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tague Davis<\/a>, who I feel like one day will be one of those guys we say \u201cyeah, THAT Tague Davis,\u201d is back manning First Base, and he also is listed by Perfect Game at the #35 Sophomore in the country. Davis showed he was a good defensive First Basemen as a freshman last season, though his production at the plate waned a bit toward the end of conference play and through the NCAA Tournament. You expect that from a freshman, and the expectations for production this year will be high and Tague will be up to that challenge. He also might derail one of Sean Moth\u2019s outfield trains. I can hear it now\u2026\u201d2-1 the count for Tague Davis as a northbound CSX engine rolls slowly through right center field. The pitch, and that\u2019s a deep drive by Davis\u2026GRASS, TRACK, WALL, THAT BALL\u2026has struck the train and oh\u2026oh my\u2026it\u2019s knocked the train completely off the track. You don\u2019t see that one everyday folks, but play will continue here at 3rd and Central while cleanup starts just beyond the All-Americans along the outfield wall. Hello, kids out on the Steepleton playground, enjoy the view of your first derailed train.\u201d But I digress. <\/p>\n First Base duties can also be handled by incoming freshmen Kaden Schoenly<\/a> and Drew Freeman<\/a> (no relation to Freddie) who is a split First Baseman\/Catcher.\u00a0<\/p>\n George Baker<\/a> and Collin Mowry<\/a> return at the Catcher spot, but will each get some competition from a newcomer from the JUCO ranks, Jimmy Nugent<\/a>. Mowry played in 19 games with 11 starts in 2025 due to the injury to Matt Klein<\/a>, with Baker playing in 27 with 15 starts, and that experience for each was invaluable. Neither batting average for the season was great, but as freshmen forced into duty, each did an admirable job which should translate well to the fight for the starting spot this season. Drew Freeman could also see some time behind the plate.<\/p>\n Bayram Hot<\/a> returns and will likely be your starter at Second Base. He had a terrific Omaha Challenge and will be a significant contributor locking down the right side of the infield with Tague Davis, unless another transfer portal newcomer moves him to Third Base. <\/p>\n Speaking of, Third Base will be an interesting spot, vacated after Jake Munroe went to follow in Jo Adell\u2019s footsteps, getting snatched up by the Angels in the 4th round of the MLB draft. Again, Bayram Hot *can* play here if AJ Martin<\/a> from Charleston Southern takes over at Second Base. Martin was a summer late-addition when Harper College infielder Dominic Jacoby didn\u2019t make it to campus. Coach Mac having options at these spots, as well as depth with guys like Jax Hisle coming out of the JUCO ranks, is always a plus. I absolutely would not mind seeing Bayram shift over here, since his defense is solid, but most of all because we all need a very literal HOT corner. My kids think I\u2019m hilarious.<\/p>\n Can Louisville baseball pitching staff fill the void?<\/p>\n On the mound, most of the young talent returns \u2013 but who fills the void left by Patrick Forbes will be the biggest variable that defines the season, in my opinion. When Louisville has been good, like Omaha-good, it\u2019s because the starters can get into the middle-late innings, and turn the game over to the bullpen with a lead. Louisville\u2019s relief pitchers dialed it in late in the season, which was incredible, and a testament to the game being a marathon, not a sprint. For much of the year, pitching was \u2018bend-don\u2019t-break,\u2019 and in the years Louisville baseball failed to make the tournament field, relief pitching gave up way too many runs to compliment the offense, which forced UofL hitters to try and do too much. <\/p>\n Louisville\u2019s run to Omaha last year came largely because the pitching staff was able to slam the door at the right time, and continue to play from ahead (despite trading walk-offs with Oregon State in Omaha). This season, picking the weekend rotation might be more difficult thanI thought, but Parker Detmers<\/a> (if he can go this season due to injury rehab), Colton Hartman<\/a>, and Jake Bean<\/a>, out of the portal via Kent State, will challenge for a those three weekend spots while Peter Michael<\/a> and Jack Brown<\/a> should get a lot of the mid-week looks along with some of the younger guys. Wyatt Danilowicz<\/a> should fill the closer role.<\/p>\n Roger Williams did a great job with the middle rotation at the end of the season (shout out TJ Schlageter<\/a>, Ty Starke<\/a>, and Jake Schweitzer<\/a>, who snuck into Perfect Game\u2019s top sophomores at #99), and he\u2019s earned the trust and right to put the pieces together with the returning guys while working in Bryce Koch<\/a>, who came in via the portal out of Cincinnati and is recovering from UCL surgery. <\/p>\n Incoming freshmen to the program this season are led by Perfect Game\u2019s #63-ranked newcomer Brandon Shannon<\/a>. He\u2019s going to really challenge for a rotation spot. Go watch some video of this kid\u2019s pitches. He can really evolve into having truly electric stuff at the collegiate level. Tanner Thomas<\/a>, Zane Stahl<\/a>, Joe Olson<\/a>, Nick Ballard<\/a> (local kid from across the street from UofL at Manual), and Anthony Karbowsk<\/a>i round out the freshman pitching class. Despite losing some guys to the draft and portal, I\u2019m pretty bullish on the pitching staff this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n I mentioned trading walk-off wins with Oregon State in Omaha. Schweitzer losing that opener that way stung, but man was it nice to see Eddie King Jr (GOAT) get revenge in incredible fashion with that clutch sac fly. Eddie deserved every bit of that stellar showing in the CWS, and filling his void will be a tall task for this team. Whenever Louisville baseball needed it, it seemed like Eddie was there.\u00a0<\/p>\n What this team is capable of is, plainly put, a return to Nebraska for the seventh time. Winning the College World Series is hard, but Louisville baseball is going to get one, one day. I hope it\u2019s finally the one I can make it out to, but I won\u2019t complain either way. <\/p>\n Keeping some guys out of the portal and from going the Gavin Kilen route (man that guy on last year\u2019s team would have been ridiculous, huh?) is going to be crucial, and it seems as though Coach Mac and the staff have embraced what NIL and utilization of the portal can do, as evidenced by the naming of Aaron Flaker as Player Personnel Consultant. <\/p>\n A huge addition to the squad.<\/p>\n \u25aa\ufe0f Creating NIL opportunities Welcome to the team, @flakerville<\/a>\u203c\ufe0f#GoCards<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WznQP4MklG<\/a><\/p>\n
\u25aa\ufe0f Dugout Club
\u25aa\ufe0f Driving revenue for facility upgrades
\u25aa\ufe0f Alumni relations
\u25aa\ufe0f Community engagement
\u25aa\ufe0f And much more\u2026<\/p>\n