The University of Louisville baseball team will open the NCAA Tournament as the second seed in the Lubbock Regional, announced during today’s NCAA Selection Show.
The Cardinals (43-17) will play in that pod alongside host Texas Tech, as well as conference champions Kent State (MAC) and New Mexico State (WAC). U of L played Texas Tech earlier this season, splitting a weekday series at 1-1 in Louisville, Ky.. This is the first time since 2012 that the Cards will not host a regional in the NCAA Tournament, despite winning 23 of their last 29 games and making the ACC Tournament finals for the first time.
Overall, this will be head coach Dan McDonnell’s 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in 12 seasons as U of L’s skippers. The Cards will be looking to make their fourth College World Series appearance in the last six seasons, and fifth overall. U of L has also made the Super Regionals in five consecutive seasons and will be looking for a sixth straight appearance.
U of L begins tournament play at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday against Kent State, while the hosting Texas Tech plays New Mexico State at 2 p.m. EDT. The regionals are in a double elimination format, with the winner playing whomever emerges from the Athens Regional (hosted by #8 Georgia with Duke, Troy and Campbell also appearing in that pod).
