Cardinal Nine bounced by Georgia

A seven-run seventh inning doomed the Louisville baseball team as it fell to top seed Georgia in an elimination game at the Athens Regional on Saturday. There's no reason to run out the details at this point, but suffice it to say it was not cool.

In spite of its disappointing end, it's hard to look at the 2008 season as anything but another rousing success. After losing six starters and a pitcher who was chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft from a club that made it to the College World Series, this team - which started at least four freshmen all season - winning a conference title and making it back to the NCAA Tournament again is one of the better stories of the 2007-2008 Cardinal sports year.

There's a heap of talent coming back - and coming in - to the '09 squad, but replacing the likes of Justin McClanahan, Zack Pitts, B.J. Rosenberg, Derrick Alfonso and (more than likely) Chris Dominguez is definitely going to be a chore.

At least this coach is decent.

Please don't ever leave us.