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College  | Story | 2/21/2015

Funkhouser carries the cow bell

Patrick Ebert
Photo: Louisville Sports Information



Week 2 Weekend Preview | College Baseball at LakePoint | Thurs. Recap from Big 12/Pac-12 Challenge


EMERSON, Ga. – For the first time in the short history of the fields at Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint Sports Division I college baseball was played on Friday. College baseball's LakePoint debut started with a bang with a big crowd on hand, as scouts lined the concourse behind home plate of Field 16 to watch the performance of Kyle Funkhouser, who is currently ranked fourth overall among the top players eligible for this year's draft.

While No. 9 Louisville, led by their Friday ace Kyle Funkhouser, was considered the favorite, Arkansas State had other plans in mind, and clearly weren't initmidated by whatever rankings were associated with Louisville's team and individual players. The Red Wolves got on the scoreboard first, with a single tally in the first inning, before exploding for six runs in the third that put the game out of reach, finishing with a big 8-2 win.

However it was an infield pop up on the left side of the field that dropped between three Cardinal defenders in the first inning that led to a run, and set the tone for the rest of the game.

“We gotta get on 'em early,” Funkhouser said after the game, already looking ahead to the remaining two games against Arkansas State in the series. “The first inning we had the pop up on the infield, which didn't help. But (after) one run it's kind of easy to come back.

“The third inning kind of got away. I think I hit two guys and walked two guys. You can't do that. Ingredients to a big inning. I loaded up the bases hitting two guys so that's my fault. I just got to get better.”

Funkhouser finished the day tossing 4 2/3 innings giving up seven hits and seven runs, four of which were earned, while issuing three walks and striking out seven.

For as much blame as Funkhouser gives to himself you can't blame him too much for his performance. He was spot on early in the game, and while he did give up a run in the first inning, with better communication that pop up is an out, and the inning likely ends without any damage.

You also can't blame his stuff. Working with four pitches, including a 91-95 mph fastball, low-80s slider, upper-70s to low-80s changeup and a mid-70s curve, Funkhouser had a legitimate four-pitch repertoire working for him this evening.

“I feel like the fastball and slider (are my best pitches), that's what I throw the most,” Funkhouser said of his go-to offerings. “They get the most reps so those are my two best pitches right now.”

Perfect Game last saw Funkhouser at the 2011 WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., when he peaked at his then usual 91 mph for Cangelosi Baseball as a 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthander from Oak Forest, Ill. He also performed at a high level earlier that year at the PG National Showcase in Fort Myers, one of a handful of projectable Illinois prep pitchers in attendance that included Brett Lilek, who currently serves as Arizona State's ace.

Now 6-foot-3, 225-pounds, Funkhouser routinely peaks in the mid-90s, and his previous peak velocity now appears to be his floor.

“I credit a lot of it to our strength coach and our trainers and what we do as far as arm care, how big we get in the weight room and how conditioned we are,” Funkhouser said of his development in college. “I give a lot of credit to that. (Some of it) is natural, growing up, getting a little taller, getting a little stronger naturally.”

“It's been fun to watch Kyle grow,” Louisville Head Coach Dan McDonnell added. “It's a big responsibility this year, he's what we call the cow-bell pitcher and he sets the tone for the weekend. He did that last weekend (but) didn't do that today, so I'm anxious for the challenge to see how our pitchers respond. Two freshmen (Butch Baird and Sean Leland) ran out there for the first time in their career and did ok even after they saw the lead cow struggle.

“(Kyle) knows that's part of the game so we're confident he'll work extremely hard and prepare for his next start. As we say, that's what makes baseball great. This is a humbling game, and anybody can beat anybody on any given day.”

On this day Funkhouser opposed fellow righthander David Owen of Arkansas State, who also showed good stuff, working in the 88-91 range with his fastball while peaking at 93 and mixing in a solid overhand curveball. Owen worked the first 5 2/3 innings of the game, scattering eight hits and five walks while striking out four.

But Louisville did have opportunities to score. They left 13 baserunners on base and finished three separate innings with the bases loaded in addition to committing two errors, both of which occurred in the six-run third inning.

“Yeah, that's the epitome of a bad inning,” McDonnell said. “A couple HBP's, a walk and then we don't make plays behind (Funkhouser) and it just magnifies. Sometimes you're going to give up runs because you don't make a pitch or two and sometimes you're going to give up runs because you don't make a play or two behind them. It all came together for them and it fell apart for us in that inning and it's tough to climb out of that hole.”

Last week Funkhouser was equally dominant with his stuff, and the results showed in the box score as he struck out 12 Alabama State batters in Louisville's 2015 opener in Clearwater, Fla., opening the season with a 2-1 record against three tough opponents.

This is the first year Louisville is playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after playing in the American Athletic Conference a year ago when they advanced to the College World Series. That marked the second year in a row they made it to Omaha, also reaching the pinnacle of college baseball in 2013 as a member of the Big East.

“The competition just gets better and better as a league,” McDonnell said of his team's presence in the ACC. “I always say we don't want to look down on the Big East or the AAC. There's a lot of good teams, and what those leagues did they prepared us to play well in the postseason, which we've got a good history of that.

“It's going to be a great challenge for us, so let's not get ahead of ourselves and let's not get too down on ourselves. What happened today is what I've been preparing these kids for what's going to happen in the ACC. It says an awful lot about your club in how you respond. So I'm looking forward to that challenge tomorrow.”

Had things gone according to plan Louisville would have spent the weekend hosting their first home series of the year against Wisconsin-Milwaukee of the Horizon League. When bad weather pounded Southeast states such as Tennessee, it caused McDonnell and other coaches in the area to scramble to find a place to play.

One such place was Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint Sports, Perfect Game's new state-of-the-art facility in Emerson, Ga. that boasts weather defying amenities such as four all-turf fields and LED lighting. The bottom line is that even in bad weather, games can be played.

“I've spent many hours in this concourse watching high school players so I knew it was a beautiful facility,” McDonnell said. “But we don't want to make excuses for the distractions this week because everyone in the country was going through the same thing, for the most part, so we knew we were playing a team that was scrambling to make all this work.

“We're just real appreciative of Perfect Game and LakePoint and of this opportunity. I think it's such a neat venue and I wouldn't be shocked if more (Division I) teams, and in all divisions, come down here early in the year for tournament baseball.”

“I came here and I didn't really know what to expect but I really like it,” Funkhouser added of his first impression at LakePoint, especially after playing at nearby fields at numerous WWBA tournament events while in high school. “It's a good setup. I like that it's turf, so if it's a colder day like this you can overcome the elements, like we had to coming down here. So it was pretty nice.”

On this day, Funkhouser had a clear target on his back as a premium prospect that is expected to be taken among the third-to-fifth overall picks come June. He also plays for the ninth ranked team in the nation, which only serves as added motiviation for their opponents, regardless of what conference they play for.

Funkhouser is quick to recognize the added attention he, his teammates and coaches receive, and does his best to keep in all in perspective.

“I just go in week in and week out, try to do the same thing, stay consistent. Mentally, physically, do the same thing, do what works, find a routine and come out here and play your game and things are going to work out.”

And although his team lost the first game of the series with their “cow-bell” pitcher on the mound, Coach McDonnell is confident his team can turn things around and get back on track tomorrow with a double-header scheduled against Arkansas State.

“That's the great thing about baseball, when you don't play well you get a chance to turn that page and come right back tomorrow. We knew this was going to be a hard-fought series.

“It doesn't get any easier tomorrow. They played very good today. They've got a good group, an older group, a well coached group. But we can't try to get head of ourselves, let's just try to win the first inning tomorrow.”


Around the Horn at LakePoint:

• Tennessee and Lipscomb exhanged zeros for eight innings on Friday night before the Volunteers erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth inning to claim a 6-0 victory. Three pitchers combined on the shutout for Tennessee; starter Bret Marks, who worked the first four innings, as well as Drake Owenby and Andrew Lee. Marks sat in the mid- to upper-80s with his fastball, while both Owenby and Lee peaked at 91 in the win. Right fielder Derek Lance and center fielder Vincent Jackson each had three hits for the Vols.

• Nebraska-Omaha beat Chicago State 6-1 on the strength of the performance of their ace, junior righthander Tyler Fox. Fox sat in the 87-89 mph range with his fastball in five innings of work, allowing three hits and four walks while striking out one without giving up a run. Cole Gruber set the pace atop the Mavericks' lineup, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

• Western Michigan scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to rally to beat UT-Martin 6-4. Western Michigan sophomore lefty starter Keegan Akin had a big day for the Broncos, striking out 10 in six innings while throwing 88-91 mph fastballs. Gabe Berman closed out the game for the Broncos by throwing 88-89 heat, while shortstop Kurt Hoekstra and second baseman Nick Vogelmeier each had three hits. UT-Martin's Andrew Castillo hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh that gave the Skyhawks a 4-1 lead prior to Western Michigan's comeback.

• The Ohio Bobcats move to 4-0 on the 2015 season with a 6-4 win over Longwood. Ohio starter Jake Rudnicki was up to 90 mph in his five innings of work, while senior Logan Cozart closed out the game thanks to his own 87-89 mph heat. Longwood outfielder Kyri Washington collected his fourth home run (and his fourth hit) of the season in the top of the fifth showing incredible strength and bat speed in his righthanded swing.

• After being swept by Texas Christian to open the 2015 season, Southern Illinois picked up their first win of the year with a 4-1 victory over Eastern Kentucky. Salukis' leadoff hitter and second baseman Connor Kopach provided the spark on offense, going 3-for-5 with a run scored, one driven in and a stolen base. Eastern Kentucky leadoff hitter Shea Sullivan also had three hits on the night, reaching base in all four trips to the plate with a walk and two doubles. Southern Illinois starter Aaron Hauge was dominant over eight innings of work, allowing only five hits, one walk and one run while striking out six.
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