The first stop for the University of Louisville baseball team on the pockmarked road to Omaha is in Athens, Georgia. No one saying U of L will make it all the way to Nebraska, but no one expected the Cards to go there last year either.
The odds against an encore are long. But who would be surprised with Dan McDonnell at the helm? He obviously knows t
he game and also happens to have several talented players. The Cards are one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 25 of their last 31 games.
For U of L fans, the experiences of having been to the College World Series, the Orange BCS Bowl, the NCAA Basketball Final Four, capturing national titles in track and field, and being competitive in NCAA golf and tennis in recent years have raised expectations. Life is short; go for it.
If it happens, it will have begun this Friday at 7 p.m. with the Cards (41-19) squaring off against tradition-laden Georgia Tech. The Jackets have won five NCAA regional tournaments since 2000, making the College World Series in 2002 and 2006. Host Georgia plays Lipscomb in the first game at 3.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (All Times Eastern)
Subject to Change by Television
Friday, May 30
Game 1 - No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Lipscomb, 3 p.m.
Game 2, No. 2 Georgia Tech vs. No. 3 Louisville, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 31
Game 3, Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3 p.m.
Game 4, Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game, 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 1
Game 5, Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 p.m.
Game 6, Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
(first possible championship game), 6 p.m.
Monday, June 2 (If necessary)
Game 7, Same teams, if necessary, 7 p.m.