LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University baseball team's much-anticipated Division I debut against perennial power Louisville at Jim Patterson Stadium will have to wait one more day.

The Knights will meet the Cardinals at 1 p.m. (ET) Saturday in a single game before the squads take the field Sunday for a doubleheader with first pitch at noon. The three-game series was originally supposed to unfold with single contests Friday through Sunday, but inclement weather forced the alteration.

Louisville has been ranked seventh or better in five of the six major preseason rankings, including a No. 2 nod from Perfect Game. Most recently, the Cardinals garnered a No. 6 ranking from USA Today Sports. In addition, Louisville was named the ACC preseason favorite under longtime head coach Dan McDonnell for the third season in a row.

"There are many pieces to this," Knights Coach Larry Owens said. "First of all, I am very excited for our COVID seniors who decided to return. I'm excited they get to experience the Division-I schedule they were going to miss out on. Now you throw a national power in the mix and it's at Louisville — well, that's just icing on the cake. We are certainly realistic but you play to win, so that's our approach.

"Secondly, I think it's great for our baseball program and university and the exposure it will provide. Lastly, I think it is awesome for the community, especially the baseball community. We are very thankful to Dan and everyone at the University of Louisville who had a hand in making this happen."

Louisville, which has made five appearances in the College World Series since 2007, went 13-4 last season before the remainder of the year was canceled due to the pandemic. Catcher Henry Davis, left-handed reliever Michael Kirian, third baseman Alex Binelas, outfielder Levi Usher, right-handed reliever Jack Perkins and utility Jared Poland have each garnered preseason All-America accolades.

"Dan's obviously done a heck of a job," Owens said. "I've known Dan (when we were assistants) from my days at Memphis when he was at Ole Miss. Dan was a tireless worker then just as he is now, which makes it no surprise he has had the success that he has had at Louisville. I'm from the Louisville area and I know personally seven of the last eight baseball head coaches at Louisville. I've seen the program over the years and the progress that has been made. Dan has taken the program to the top, and I really believe that one day they will hang a national championship banner in baseball."

Bellarmine returns mostly intact, although the Knights did lose right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, who was a fifth-round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Major League Baseball draft. The Knights went 10-4 in their final, pandemic-shortened season in Division II and were on a six-game winning streak when the remainder of the year was called off. They preceded 2020 with three straight seasons of at least 34 wins, earning NCAA II Tournament berths in each campaign.

Junior left fielder Matt Higgins was recognized in August by D1Baseball in its list of "2021 College Top 150 Prospect Rankings." Higgins and senior outfielder Chris Gambert, a converted catcher, were both DII All-Americans in 2019. Perfect Game honored senior Josh Finerty as the third baseman on its ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.

Bellarmine's first D1 series was always going to be special, but the fact that the Knights open against Louisville certainly adds to its significance. Owens wants his squad to block out all the peripheral elements and focus on the tasks at hand.

"Nerves are absolutely normal. I still get them before every game," he said. "I think if you don't get them, something is wrong with you. The trick is to control it. It's called 'controlling the geek.' Once the game begins and we throw our first pitch, get our first AB, our first ground ball or fly ball, you now get in the mix, then things will calm down. Then it will be about playing the game and doing the things that help you win games. 

"We were just talking about it as a staff, but as in any game, we must limit free bases. That seems to me to be the theme of the amateur game: limit the number of free bases you give up. Walks, HBP, errors, passed balls, wild pitches, etc. Those are the things we must limit. Once the 'geek' is gone and those nerves have subsided, it's much easier to play the game, no doubt, but then that's when the real game begins and doing things that limit free bases will help anyone's cause."

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