Winning’s nothing new to Louisville’s Kyle Funkhouser
Kyle Funkhouser won a lot as a kid.
He set career records for wins, strikeouts, innings pitched and earned run average as a star pitcher at Oak Forest High, just south of Chicago. He earned all-state honors and pushed Oak Forest to a state runner-up finish his junior year.
And he won back-to-back-to-back spelling bees from third to fifth grade.
The spelling champion days are long gone, the University of Louisville’s sophomore ace said, but the winning tradition has lived on.
As the Cardinals start their postseason at 3 p.m. Thursday with an American Athletic Conference Tournament showdown against Memphis in Clearwater, Fla., the right-hander might just be their biggest key to winning their way back to the College World Series.
“It feels like each start I’m getting better and better,” said the 6-foot-2 Funkhouser, who is tied for second in Division I with 11 wins.
After the way last season transpired, Funkhouser’s 2014 success shouldn’t be a surprise. He was 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA and struck out a batter per inning over 22 appearances and six starts.
Before the 2014 campaign, U of L coach Dan McDonnell said the Illinois native who loves deep-dish pizza and the Chicago White Sox would be one of the Cardinals’ go-to aces at the front of their rotation.
Funkhouser has done everything U of L has needed, even after a shaky start to this season. He gave up three runs and five hits over 52/3 innings 5-3 loss to The Citadel in the season-opening Homewood Suites Tournament in Charleston, S.C.
He has allowed only 15 earned runs in the 871/33 innings he’s pitched since.
“I had a meeting with (pitching coach Roger Williams),” Funkhouser said. “He basically said, ‘Do what you do. Stick with your fastball. Pound the zone. Trust your stuff.’ That’s what I’ve done.”
On Monday USA Baseball invited Funkhouser to its collegiate team training after the Cardinals’ season. He’s the seventh U of L player to get such a phone call.
But Funkhouser, who grew up idolizing former White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, trumpets the Cardinals’ mantra when he’s asked about the Team USA invitation. They’ve been repeating it all season, especially the key players with professional prospects.
“All this hard work and the outings are paying off,” Funkhouser started. “But that’s in late June. We’ve got unfinished business here with this team.”
Funkhouser’s not really in the mood for reflection this week, at least not about national team recognition, statistics or spelling-bee titles.
He will talk about last year, when U of L lost back-to-back Big East Tournament games before rallying to the program’s second College World Series appearance since 2007.
The Cards don’t plan on losing two quick games at the league tournament this time around, but they do plan on returning to the CWS in Omaha, Neb. Once there, they’d like to do better than their fast two-game elimination.
Funkhouser’s hard-throwing right arm might be the reason they get back there. Ever since that conversation with Williams, he has been about as good as it gets for a college pitcher.
“We had a good team last year, but we had a real sour feeling going two and out (at the CWS),” Funkhouser said. “It’s a mentality thing. We’re always striving to be the best we can be. I am, too.”
Reach Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter @jeffgreer_CJ.
AAC Tournament
U of L vs. Memphis
3 p.m. Thursday, Bright House Field, Clearwater, Fla.