By Chris O’Grady
After winning two of three in a weekend series against the University of Connecticut, the University of Louisville baseball team found itself 20-3 and ranked No. 11 nationally in the USA Today Top 25—the best start for any Cardinal team to date.
“Our pitching has been just unbelievable,” said junior third baseman Phil Wunderlich, who leads the team with 10 home runs. “All three phases of the game—hitting, pitching and defense—have been clicking. And we have a lot of experience.”
Perhaps the most spectacular aspect of the Cards has been the pitching, especially from juniors Thomas Royse and Neil Holland. Both were named to the Collegiate Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year watch list. Royse has emerged as the team’s ace, going 5-0 with a 1.42 ERA in six starts. Opponents are hitting a mere .195 against him. Royse also has a team-leading 39 strikeouts.
“I have had a lot of success just pitching with my fastball,” said Royse. “Getting ahead in the counts has helped me get to a position where I can feel dominant.”
While Royse’s success has been anticipated, reliever Holland’s performance has caught the Cards by surprise. He has overtaken junior Gabriel Shaw as the team’s closer, posting a microscopic 0.39 ERA with 6 saves. He has only allowed five hits—most of them on the infield—over his 23 and one-third innings.
“I don’t know if I was expecting this so much, but I had a feeling I would do better than last year,” said Holland. “It’s just been about finding my niche.”
Near the end of last season Holland began experimenting with a sidearm delivery, a technique he has since perfected. Despite the quirkiness, he hardly lost any velocity from his 88-90 mph fastball and was able to gain more movement on his slider.
“I think the hitter might underestimate me for it, because closers are known for coming in and throwing so hard,” said Holland. “But I’m content with just letting my stuff work away from them and getting groundballs.”
Wunderlich noted Holland’s importance in the Cards’ early-season run.
“He has been downright unhittable,” said Wunderlich. “I mean, you never want to take it for granted. But when he comes in, the game is pretty much over.”
Royse pointed out the asset of having Holland and Shaw anchoring the bullpen. He believes this will contribute to the Cards’ chances of continuing the run.
“It means everything, having those two pitching behind me,” said Royse. “I know if I don’t have my best, they’ll pick me up.”
The pitching duo was on display in the first game of the Connecticut series, in which Royse threw seven innings of three-hit baseball and Holland completed a two-inning save and the shutout. The game was the Big East opener for the Cards, against the team picked to finish second behind Louisville in the conference.
“It was really big getting a dominant win to start Big East play,” said Royse. “The offense is there. And when it comes back, we will be really dominant.”
The Cardinal offense is anchored by Wunderlich, sophomore shortstop Ryan Wright and senior second baseman Adam Duvall. Wright leads the team, hitting .389 with 4 home runs and 25 RBIs, while Duvall is hitting .350 with 6 home runs and 15 doubles and is the team co-captain. As good as the offense has been, it should receive a boost from the return of senior first baseman Andrew Clark, who has been sidelined by a rib injury since late February.
“He’s our three-hole hitter and a great senior leader,” said Wunderlich about Clark. “It’s going to be huge to have him back.”
Clark led the charge for the Cards in the second game of the series, hitting a go-ahead three-run double in the bottom of the seventh, to put the team up 4-2.
“It’s great to have him back,” said Holland about Clark. “He obviously didn’t miss a beat. He is a great hitter and a lot of pitchers are scared of him.”
The Cards head to Indiana on Tuesday, March 30 for a game against the Hoosiers of Indiana University. They continue Big East play at home against Villanova University starting April 1.
