Funkhouser starts Friday for Louisville; Ruxer won't pitch at regional
On the same day University of Louisville coach Dan McDonnell revealed pitcher Jared Ruxer won't play in this weekend's NCAA tournament regional, he announced that ace Kyle Funkhouser will get the nod for Friday's 6 p.m. opener against Kent State.
A nagging forearm ailment has slowed Ruxer, a junior right-handed starter who is 7-1 with a 2.27 earned-run average. He hasn't pitched since May 10, and McDonnell told ESPN 680 on Wednesday that the layoff will continue.
No announcement was made as to a Saturday starter in a potential rematch with the University of Kentucky, the other team in the regional along with Kansas at Jim Patterson Stadium.
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McDonnell said Monday that his team's No. 2 starter, Ruxer, had a "50-50 chance" of playing this weekend. Then on Tuesday, McDonnell said the team was preparing its rotation as if Ruxer wouldn't play.
Funkhouser is 12-2 with a 1.81 ERA. He's thrown 99.1 innings, striking out 100 batters and walking 53. He's allowed just two home runs this season and 72 hits in all through 15 appearances.
The winner of the U of L-Kent State game will face the winner of Kansas-Kentucky, which starts at 2 p.m. Friday. The losers on Friday will play each other on Saturday as well.
Ruxer's replacement, freshman Josh Rogers, has already pitched and lost twice against UK. Another option is sophomore Anthony Kidston.
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Meanwhile Kentucky on Wednesday announced that sophomore Kyle Cody will start Friday in the Wildcats' opener against Kansas.
That move sets up UK ace A.J. Reed, who is 11-2 with a 2.10 ERA, for Saturday's game.
Reach Louisville writer Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter (@jeffgreer_cj).