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CARDINALS

Louisville turns the page, ready for Texas in CWS

Jeff Greer
@jeffgreer_cj


OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Louisville baseball team could use a bathroom metaphor to describe its post-loss mentality after a 5-3 defeat Saturday night against Vanderbilt in the College World Series.

Or they could use a reading metaphor.

Star left fielder Jeff Gardner used both.

"Just flush it," Gardner said. "Just turn the page and forget about it."

U of L (50-16) missed a few chances in the frustrating loss to nemesis Vanderbilt. The Cards lost by two runs, and they gave up a run each from a passed ball and a wild pitch.

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Twelve hours after the defeat, Louisville was finishing up practice at Millard West High, a Nebraska baseball powerhouse located about 30 minutes west of Omaha.

The Cards were disappointed after the loss, but after a sluggish start to practice, the crispness and focus came back. They'll need both attributes against Texas in the elimination game at 3 p.m. EDT Monday at TD Ameritrade Park.

"It usually comes down to a mistake or two between the teams," U of L coach Dan McDonnell said. "You know what? This is fun. You're in the College World Series. You get the chance to play Texas with an opportunity to advance."

Texas (43-20) has the most appearances in tournament history, with 35 trips to Omaha and six national titles.

The Longhorns were undone Saturday by a late UC-Irvine rally, one that resembled the comebacks that characterized Louisville's season this spring.

Both teams play what baseball people call "small ball," with bunts and hit-and-runs and steals, essentially aggressive means to manufacture runs.

In a low-scoring, cavernous ballpark like TD Ameritrade, that style usually produces the best results. Both teams arrive Monday feeling like they missed chances on Saturday.

Texas left 12 runners on base; Louisville left nine.

The Cards hope No. 2 starter Anthony Kidston can help Texas waste more runners. Kidston (9-0, 3.54 ERA) hasn't lost yet in two years and 19 starts as a Cardinal.

The Ohio native throws three different pitches for strikes, McDonnell said, and gives Louisville's infield plenty of work. McDonnell said Kidston was almost too accurate in last weekend's super regional, letting Kennesaw State hit him.

But Kidston and U of L won, as they always have with him on the mound. TD Ameritrade Park fits his style.

"I would have to say it helps as long as I'm in the zone," Kidston said. "These are the types of games you look for."

Kidston's as easygoing as any of the Cardinals, betraying no sign Sunday of stress or nerves ahead of Louisville's elimination game.

None of them seemed surprised to be in this position, either. Vanderbilt was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and the Commodores have the pitching depth to win the CWS.

That it came down to the late innings and a few missed chances only made sense to the Cards.

"We're prepared this year, but nobody said it would be easy," Kidston said.

Once practice finished and the Cards filed back onto the black team bus that took them to the high school field, they turned their focus elsewhere. They wanted to enjoy Father's Day, and McDonnell insisted they also bask in the glow of the CWS.

The coach had plans to take his family to the University of Mississippi game on Sunday night. He was an assistant coach there in 2001-06, the last stop in his understudy career before taking the reins at Louisville.

He looked forward to enjoying his first CWS game in the stands. And his players were doing similar things, easing their minds and relaxing.

Their season is on the brink, and they know that, but at this point they know themselves well enough to take a break.

They're certain they'll be ready when they need to be.

"I'm going to get a good steak," Gardner said with a grin. "That's one of the best parts about this place."

Reach Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter @jeffgreer_CJ.