Louisville baseball hosts Kentucky on Derby Week

Here are your vital notes on tonight's rivalry game via U of L:

#3 Louisville (34-10, 19-2 ACC) vs. Kentucky (25-17, 10-10 SEC)

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 | 6 p.m. ET
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000)
TV: ESPN3 (Watch) | Radio: 93.9 The Ville
Web: CardsTV Audio (Listen) | Live Stats: Gametracker

STARTING PITCHERS:

LOU: Fr. RHP Sean Leland (3-0, 1.04 ERA)
UK: So. LHP Logan Salow (1-1, 7.71 ERA)

TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS

• Through 44 games this season, the Louisville bullpen has a 1.31 ERA with a 14-0 record, 173 strikeouts to just 54 walks in 151.2 innings and opposing batters are hitting only .165.
• In 21 ACC games, the Cardinals have a 1.95 ERA with 185 strikeouts in 198.0 innings. The bullpen has a 1.04 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 60.2 innings of work in conference action.
• Louisville has won 129 straight games when entering the ninth inning with a lead dating back to May 2012. The Cardinals were 43-0 last season and 46-0 in 2013 when leading after the eighth.
• The Cardinals are 28-2 this season when out-hitting their opponents, 1-7 when out-hit and 5-1 when hits are tied. Last season, Louisville was 38-3 when out-hitting its opponents.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 29 of 44 games this season. Last season, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the feat in 36 of 65 games.
• From March 21 to April 10 of this season, the Cardinals played 83 consecutive innings against ACC opponents without trailing.

PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS

• Sutton Whiting leads the Cardinals in hitting with a .351 average overall in 44 starts. In ACC action, Whiting has a .388 average and has reached base safely in 20 of 21 conference games.
• Corey Ray leads the Cardinals with nine home runs, 42 RBI, 35 runs scored and 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts. He's also hitting .326 overall while starting all three outfield positions.
• As the first player in Dan McDonnell's nine seasons to start on the mound and play virtually every day as a position player/hitter, freshman Brendan McKay is 7-1 with four saves, a 1.83 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 59.0 innings pitched (14 appearances, seven starts.). At the plate, he is hitting .326 with one home run, 22 RBI, 25 runs scored and 29 walks in 37 starts as a hitter.
• In his last seven starts, junior Kyle Funkhouser is 5-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 52.1 innings. Overall, he is 6-2 with a 2.24 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 76.1 innings on the season.
• In his last nine starts on the mound, Josh Rogers is 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 56.1 innings pitched.
• Sophomore lefty Drew Harrington has allowed only one earned run in 15 appearances on the mound this season. In 30.0 innings of work in 2015, Harrington is 3-1 with four saves, a 0.30 ERA, 42 strikeouts to just nine walks while opposing hitters are batting just .096 against him.
• Nick Solak has hit safely in 19 straight games, a career-high streak and the longest for a Louisville player this season. For the season, Solak is hitting .341 with a team-high 12 doubles, 30 RBI, 33 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts. In 21 ACC games, Solak is hitting .385 with eight doubles, 17 RBI and 17 runs scored.