They’re back.
The temperature is a frigid 22 degrees in Louisville but down in Clearwater, Fla. the thermometer is up to 52 degrees where the Baseball Cardinals begin their 2015 season Friday in the six-team Opening Weekend Challenge.
Back to challenge for a third straight trip to the College World Series in Omaha. That’s always uppermost in their minds, their team meeting room adorned by floor to ceiling wall rendering of TD Ameritrade Park where the championship is decided.
UofL will square off against Alabama State on Friday at 3 p.m., against South Florida at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and against highly-regarded California State Fullerton at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The Louisville pitching rotation will include some familiar faces in junior All-American righthander Kyle Funkhouser, junior righthander Anthony Kidston, who has lost just once in his career, and sophomore lefthander Josh Rogers.
Nick Solak is back, too, the guy who hit the three-run home run that sent UofL to Omaha last season. He batted 351, drove in 25 runs, scored 29 times and had nine stolen bases as a freshman last season.
Unfortunately, no radio or TV is available for any of the games.