By Chris O’Grady
For the University of Louisville baseball team, off to its best start in school history, it’s easy to find heroes. While the offensive explosion of junior third baseman Phil Wunderlich and the shut-down relief of junior pitcher Neil Holland have given the Cardinals firepower, it may be the leadership of senior co-captains catcher Jeff Arnold and middle infielder Adam Duvall that takes the team to Omaha.
Head coach Dan McDonnell was quick to praise the leadership style of the pair and the effect it has on the team.
“It is amazing to see how they go about things—about their education, working in the community, treating people with respect and, of course, the work they put in towards this team,” said McDonnell. “They are All-Americans outside the field.”
Both Arnold and Duvall say they lead by example.
“I’m not much of a vocal guy,” said Arnold. “I just try to show up and go about my business the best way I can.”
Duvall agreed, seeing a responsibility for the captain to make actions speak louder than words.
“I really want to lead by my example, by doing things the right way,” said Duvall. “If a younger guy who looks up to me sees me doing something wrong, they begin to think that’s how it is.”
What makes the pair stand out even greater is that both are native Louisvillians, able to play in front of the home crowd, including friends and family. Arnold went to high school at Louisville Male, and has been able to play at U of L since he was a freshman, when the team last made it to the 2007 College World Series in Omaha.
“It has been awesome to play in my hometown,” said Arnold. “I had always been a U of L fan growing up, watching basketball and football and eventually baseball. I have been real blessed to come here at the right time.”
For Duvall, a Butler Traditional High School graduate, the road to U of L has had more stops. After playing his freshman year at Western Kentucky University, he transferred to Chipola Junior College, where he led them to the Junior College World Series and was named to the All-World Series team, before transferring to U of L last year.
“Having played in other places, it is way more fun to play in my hometown,” said Duvall. “I love being able to play in front of people I know, every night.”
McDonnell sees it as an asset that they come from Louisville. He believes this contributes to their appreciation of the school and the community.
“They have a real love for the university,” said McDonnell. “You get a lot of kids who have never been here before and it’s really different for them, but these kids know what it means. They have a real appreciation for the city of Louisville.”
Both players say their love for U of L has remained constant from the time they made it to campus.
“I loved it when I first got on campus,” said Duvall. “And nothing has changed since then. The coaches really don’t lie when they tell you what a great place it is.”
Arnold, who was able to play in Omaha, is proud of his four years, with high expectations continuing into this year.
“I’m pretty happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish here,” said Arnold. “Normally we have the same goals, but this year was the first year Coach has talked about a national championship. I think we definitely have the talent to do that.”
The excitement of the promise this season holds has kept the pair from making too many plans for next year, though both will likely have the opportunity to be drafted and play professionally.
“I haven’t been able to put much thought into [the future] right now,” said Duvall. “I’ve been pretty consumed with what we’ve got going here.”
But wherever they end up, McDonnell is confident they will find success, a success they are currently spreading across the Louisville baseball community.
“More and more people I see at the barber shop or grocery store stop me to comment about what great kids those two are,” said McDonnell. “I think it’s pretty clear for me to see that those guys are going to succeed in life, as great husbands, great fathers and great additions to society. They are true ambassadors for the university.”
