Himmelsbach | U of L not looking past Kennesaw State

We in the media are often convinced that there are two common dangers that can mess with a sports team's psyche, causing winnable games to become more of a wobble.

The first is the letdown. You don't have to be a sports fan to understand the letdown. It's basically how you feel the day after Christmas or the day after your birthday party. You just experienced something fun and memorable, and there's no way the event that follows can be nearly as fun and memorable. So you're just not quite yourself.

The second is the look-ahead. And you don't have to be a sports fan to understand the look-ahead, either. It's basically how you feel when you're sitting in math class and you know that summer vacation is just a few hours away. How can you stay focused on algebra or calculus or whatever when you could be focused on swimming pools?

This week, the University of Louisville baseball team finds itself uniquely juxtaposed between the letdown and the look-ahead. And when the Cardinals face plucky Kennesaw State in an NCAA tournament super regional this weekend, it will be interesting to see how they handle the situation. For U of L, the Owls are wedged in the middle of good memories and the allure of possibility.

Last weekend, the Cards advanced through their regional with a perfect 3-0 record. And the indelible game of that group was the last one, on Sunday against Kentucky—a game that was played at last following a four-hour weather delay.

The rivalry certainly didn't need any extra spice, but it got some. There were violent collisions at home plate and there was testiness and there was a sense that the game could have stood on its own as a classic even if U of L hadn't clinched its super-regional berth with the 4-1 win.

"Kentucky is one of our biggest rivals, and obviously that was a big thing about last week's regional," said U of L's star closer, Nick Burdi. "But I mean, from a point of getting back up and getting that momentum, I feel like, this is a super regional."

And that's certainly true, but it would also seem challenging not to think about what could come next. U of L knows that five of the top eight national seeds in this tournament have already been eliminated, and that the bracket has been busted open like a pinata. And the bitter taste from last season's two-and-out trip to the College World Series lingers.

There is so much possibility ahead, how can these Cardinals possibly stay focused on the right now? Well, U of L's players and coaches are confident that nothing will distract them from their current task.

"To say we're gonna have any letup, it just won't happen," Burdi said. "It's in our blood, it's in our culture, it's in our locker room to play every game like it's our last one, so that's kind of the mindset we have."

Throughout this dominant season, each opponent has received the Cardinals' full attention, and so it will be with Kennesaw State. If the Cardinals advance, then they can start thinking about the swimming pool, but it will not happen sooner.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at 502-582-4372 by email ahimmelsbach@courier-journal.com and on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.