It is officially game week!!! The Niners are travelling down to Tampa this weekend to take on Louisville, UConn, and USF. All games are supposed to be televised on ESPN+.
Friday- Louisville 2:00
Saturday- UConn 12:00
Sunday- USF 1:30
USF Baseball Stadium - Red McEwen Field
Louisville was picked to finish 4th in the Atlantic Division of the ACC by the Coaches. They had a down year for them last year, missing the NCAA Tournament for the 1st time since 2011. They have had 4 trips to the College World Series since then. Most recently in 2019. So they are a great program looking to bounce back from a down year.
Good preview of their team here:
Louisville has had a good history with their baseball program
Let’s get that ACC scalp.
USF didn’t have a great regular season last year but got hot late to win the AAC Tournament and a bid into the NCAA Tourney. They stayed hot and ended up winning the Florida Regional and advancing to their 1st Super Regional in school history.
Article on USF:
UConn is the favorite to win the Big East.
Looks like we will only be on ESPN+ for Sundays game vs USF. 
This kinda sucks. I wanted to watch these games.
Pitching matchup for tomorrow via the Louisville game notes:
Looks like Kuehner was a bullpen guy last year for Louisville and is jumping in to a new role this season.
From D1 Baseball - ‘3YR SO Tate Kuehner emerged as a bullpen stalwart last year, posting a 3.55 ERA in 20 appearances, and he should be a go-to guy again this spring. He offers a funky low three-quarters look and attacks with a lively 89-90 heater, a good sweeping slurve at 77 and even a solid changeup that he can throw left-on-left, showing unexpected changeup feel for a low-slot lefty reliever.’
From D1 Baseball:
'third-year sophomore Pat Gallagher (5-2, 4.44) took his game to another level late in the season last year. He struck out more than a batter per inning in five conference starts, going 3-0, 2.85, including pitching 5.2 scoreless innings in the Big East Tournament championship game. Gallagher has a plus slider and changeup that aren’t always on at the same time, but when they are, hitters are in trouble. He was 2-0, 3.90 with 33 strikeouts in 25.1 innings this summer in the Cape Cod League. ’
How awesome the Niners get an absolute statement game to start the season?
This whole weekend is going to be a great test for this team. It really seems to me like it will be similar to a Regional atmosphere this weekend with 4 programs that have something to prove.
Louisville missed the NCAA’s for the first time in 10 years last year, but has been to Omaha 4 times recently. They are calling this season their revenge tour.
UConn is one of the best programs of the Northeast winning the Big East regular season and tourney last year. Picked to win it again. They’ve been to 6 Regionals in the last 10 years.
USF got hot last year, won the AAC Tourney, won a Regional and made their 1st Super in program history. They are looking to prove themselves as they were picked 6th in the AAC by the coaches. They’ve been to 4 regionals in the past 10 years.
I think it was Joe Healy from Baseball America that will be there covering the games this weekend. They talk about it in their podcast.
Anyway to watch today? I think I saw it won’t be on plus
Unfortunately USF is only producing games that they are playing in this weekend, so only the Sunday game will be on ESPN+.
Today and tomorrow will be radio only and we have a new SID since Sean Fox transitioned to a different role. That means a new road radio person.
I did find some good news regarding TV games though. It looks like we will have 18 of our home games and 3 away games televised on ESPN+, ACC Network or SECN+ this year. Hopefully more road games will show up there soon, but this is a great start. Unfortunately, most road games are currently listed on C-USA TV.
Yeah, I sure hope Louisville is planning on taking it out on our Niners. As if
Is that guy starting for UK-Louisvile any good?
I haven’t seen him pitch but he was a key bullpen guy for them last year. He’s an opening day starter for a ‘P5’ team so I’d assume he’s decent. I’ll let you know more in a few hours. I am a little curious if they are using him as an opener to get through the line-up once, then go to the pen?
