LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Few datelines in Division 1 college sports have the magic of Omaha, Nebraska.
The basketball Final Four bounces from city to city. College football rotates the site of its national championship game. Volleyball made its way to downtown Louisville during the 2024 season.
But in college baseball the only field of dreams sits in Omaha, Nebraska.
Coach Dan McDonnell and the surging University of Louisville baseball team arrived in Omaha Wednesday to begin its quest to win the program’s first national title.
Here are the nuts and bolts about what is ahead for the Cards’ in the eight-team tournament.
The Time: Louisville vs. Oregon State, Friday, 7 p.m., Charles Schwab Field; Omaha, Nebraska.
The Cards will play again on Sunday, against Coastal Carolina or Arizona, at a time that will be determined after Friday’s results.
How to Watch/Listen: TV — ESPN; RADIO — 93.9 The Ville FM or 970 AM WGTK.
Format: Louisville will compete in a four-team, double-elimination pod with Oregon State, Arizona and Coastal Carolina.
The winner of that pod will advance to a best-of-three final series against either Arkansas, UCLA, Murray State or Louisiana State. Those four teams will begin their four-team double-elimination pod on Saturday. Weather permitting, the final series will begin on Saturday June 21 at 7 p.m.,
The Records: Louisville went 40-22 overall and 15-15 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. With the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference, Oregon State competed as an independent. The Beavers finished 47-14-1.
The Line: Oregon State is favored by 1.5 runs at Draft Kings. The over/under total runs for the game is 10.
Here are the returns on a $100 for a team to win the championship at Draft Kings:
- Arkansas $195.
- LSU $230.
- Coastal Carolina $600.
- Oregon State $650.
- UCLA $900
- Arizona $1,400.
- U of L $1,700.
- Murray State $4,500
The Computer Rankings: Oregon State is ranked No. 9 in the college baseball coaches’ poll and 4th in the college baseball writers’ poll. The Cards are No. 31 in the coaches’ poll and 14th in the writer's poll.
Oregon State is No. 5 in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) computer poll, while Louisville is No. 29.
OSU was the No. 8 national seed in the field, while Louisville did not earn a national seed.
The Series: Louisville and Oregon State have played once in the College World Series, with the Beavers defeating the Cards, 11-4, in the 2013 College World Series. Overall, OSU leads the series 29-13.
Louisville is making its sixth College World Series appearance. The Cards’ record in Omaha is 4-10. Louisville has yet to advance to the final series.
This is the eighth CWS appearance for the Beavers but the first under coach Mitch Canham. Oregon State won its three CWS titles in 2006, 2007 and 2018.
Common Opponents: Oregon State beat Indiana, 6-0. The Cards handled the Hoosiers, 6-4. Both teams won two of three against Florida State.
Coaches: Cards’ coach Dan McDonnell has a career record of 791-371-1 all in 19 seasons at Louisville. Beavers’ coach Mitch Canham is 223-101-1 in six seasons in Corvallis, where he followed the legendary Pat Casey.
Pitchers: Louisville will start right-hander Patrick Forbes, who is 4-2 with a 4.36 earned run average and 107 strikeouts in 66 innings. Forbes is a junior.
OSU is expected to start freshman Dax Whitney. He is 6-3 with an ERA of 3.66. Whitney has 111 strikeouts in 71 innings.
Player to Know OSU: The Beavers star player is shortstop Aiva Arquette, a native of Hawaii who transferred from Saint Louis University. Arquette hit .354 this season with 36 extra-base hits in 240 at bats. He is projected as a top five pick in several mock drafts for the 2025 MLB Draft.
Player to Know Louisville: The Cards’ top run producer has been sophomore outfielder/designated hitter Zion Rose. He leads Louisville with 63 runs batted in and is third on the team with a dozen home runs. Rose is hitting .315 with an on-base percentage of .401.
More UofL baseball coverage:
CRAWFORD | The Cardinals are chasing a title. Knox is chasing childhood. They’re in it together.
CRAWFORD | Louisville infielder's double play: Wedding one day, CWS the next
Next stop: Omaha. Next test: Oregon State. Louisville draws a College World Series powerhouse
CRAWFORD | The streak that refocused Dan McDonnell -- and led Louisville back to Omaha
BOZICH | Louisville bound for College World Series after beating Miami, 3-2
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