'We'll be back': These 4 players form the core of Louisville baseball's next run for Omaha

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Jubilation erupted through the walls at Blue Bell Park and filled the room as Riley Phillips spoke, his first taste of the postseason with Louisville baseball ending in heartbreak.

Next door, Texas A&M players and coaches celebrated the program's first trip to the College World Series since 2017. The No. 5 Aggies swept the No. 12 Cardinals in a best-of-three series with two come-from-behind victories.

With U of L head coach Dan McDonnell seated to his left, Phillips reflected on a season that started with low expectations from national pundits and ended just two wins shy of Omaha.

"If you weren’t bought in, we didn’t want you," the sophomore lefty said over whoops and hollers from the Aggies. "That’s what we had on this team; a bunch of guys that were bought in and committed to getting this program back on track. That’s ultimately why you choose to come to Louisville."

Game 2 recap: Louisville baseball swept by Texas A&M in NCAA super regional; bounce-back season ends

Game 1 recap: Louisville baseball on the brink of elimination after walk-off loss vs. Texas A&M

After missing the NCAA Tournament in 2021 for the first time in 10 years, McDonnell challenged his team to "reset the standard" in 2022. They responded by winning the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division and playing their way to the program's ninth super regional. Mission accomplished?

"I feel better today than I did a year ago," McDonnell told the Courier Journal after Saturday's loss. "We learned a lot after the way we finished last year. We went back to the drawing board, and we're better off. We're better coaches, our program's better and I think the future is very bright. I'm just very optimistic."

Yes, U of L squandered a myriad of opportunities deep in the heart of Texas. A lineup that combined to score 39 times across three elimination games in the Louisville Regional plated just seven runs, stranded 19 and hit .210 with men in scoring position against the Aggies. But the Cardinals were one of 16 teams still playing in June and proved they have a fighter's chance against anyone in the country.

"For anyone who doubts us, doubts this program, I don't know what you're smokin' or drinkin'," said McDonnell, who wrapped up his postgame presser by vowing, "We'll be back."

That's not just wishful thinking. With a battle-tested roster returning and Perfect Game's No. 3 recruiting class incoming, Louisville could be primed for another deep postseason run in 2023. These players stepping into larger roles next season will help form the core of the Cards' quest for a sixth trip to Omaha.

Meet the new ace: Riley Phillips

After being sidelined for the final stretch of the regular season, Phillips showcased during his two NCAA Tournament starts that he is ready to take the reins of the Louisville rotation from departing seniors Jared Poland and Garrett Schmeltz.

The 6-foot-4 lefty from Godfrey, Illinois, turned in the best performance of his career in Game 4 of the Louisville Regional. In an elimination game, the sophomore allowed just one run on two hits and struck out 11 Michigan batters across five innings.

McDonnell once again called upon Phillips to start with Louisville's season on the brink in the College Station Super Regional, and he was dominant in the early going. The lefty's imposing stature on the mound combined with a sharp command of his changeup and slider had A&M batters looking uncomfortable in the box. He racked up four strikeouts through the first two innings.

Game 1 highlights: Check out the top plays from U of L vs. TAMU baseball in NCAA super regional Game 1

Game 2 highlights: Check out the top plays from U of L vs. TAMU baseball in NCAA super regional Game 2

Command became an issue for Phillips in the top of the third. After allowing Texas A&M to load the bases on two hits and a walk without recording an out, the sophomore walked in a run and surrendered a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2-2.

Phillips worked out of the jam without further damage, and his afternoon ended two innings later when Ryan Targac crushed the first pitch of the sixth over the left-centerfield wall. The sophomore's final line: three runs allowed on four hits and a career-high three walks across five innings. He struck out five batters and threw more than 80 pitches for the first time since April 3.

McDonnell praised Phillips for keeping the Cardinals within striking distance Saturday while testing the limits of his workload amid triple-digit temperatures at the hostile Blue Bell Park. Expect the lefty to be U of L's first line of defense against potent lineups in 2023.

"I think (he's) a star in the making," McDonnell said.

Stability up the middle: Christian Knapczyk and Logan Beard

Louisville will say goodbye to seniors Ben Bianco and Ben Metzinger, who anchored the infield at first and third base, respectfully. Theirs are big shoes to fill, but the duo of Christian Knapczyk and Logan Beard will provide stability up the middle.

Knapczyk led Louisville in runs scored with 72, and the rising junior's value as a leadoff hitter cannot be overstated. Heading into the super regional, U of L averaged 9.3 runs in the 51 games Knapczyk started. In the 11 games he didn't start, the Cards' average dipped to 6.2 runs.

Knapczyk hit .428 with eight runs scored across seven NCAA Tournament games. He also got a chance to show off his defensive range in Game 1 of the super regional with a sliding stop that robbed A&M of a rally extending base hit.

After redshirting in 2021, Beard started all but two games at second base for Louisville in 2022, turned in a productive season at the plate and was named to Collegiate Baseball's Freshman All-American team.

The North Oldham High School grad finished the season with 54 RBIs, tied for fourth on the team, a .310 batting average, four home runs and 12 doubles. He was the team's best hitter with runners in scoring position (.373) heading into the super regional, and that trend continued against Texas A&M.

Bounce-back season: How Louisville baseball 'reset the standard' in reaching NCAA super regional

After the Aggies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first of Game 1, Louisville responded by loading the bases with one out and Beard coming to the plate. He proceeded to shoot a 93 mph fastball from starter Nathan Dettmer back up the middle for a game-tying base knock, and the Cards took the lead one batter later on a sacrifice fly from Bianco.

Beard should move up in the U of L lineup, getting more chances to drive in Knapczyk, with several spots being vacated by graduating seniors. One area that needs to see improvement, however, is fielding. The second baseman recorded a team-high 10 errors in 2022.

The power supply: Jack Payton

The Cardinals in all likelihood will be without their top three hitters in terms of RBIs and home runs heading into the 2023 season. Gone are seniors Metzinger and Cameron Masterman, and Keith Law of The Athletic has junior catcher Dalton Rushing ranked among his top 70 MLB draft prospects.

Assuming Rushing gets an offer he can't refuse to join the professional ranks, rising junior Jack Payton is in line to take over as Louisville's first choice behind the plate. As a sophomore, the Orland Park, Illinois, native rotated with Rushing at both catcher and designated hitter and routinely hit in the cleanup spot.

Payton occupies a particularly interesting position as the present and future of this team. He is following two catchers who were, or will be, drafted high — Henry Davis was selected No. 1 overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. And Rushing put on a power display that is nearly unmatched in U of L history; his 23 home runs this season finished just behind Chris Dominguez's 2009 single-season record of 25.

Meet Dalton Rushing: How junior catcher developed into Louisville baseball's top slugger, MLB Draft prospect

'Reset the standard': How Louisville baseball bounced back after missing 2021 NCAA Tournament

After tallying just six hits in 13 games as a freshman, Payton led U of L in hits (89) and doubles (23) in 2022. He was second on the team with a .350 batting average and tied for fourth with 54 RBIs.

Payton's hot bat made an impact during the postseason, too. Across seven games, he hit .344 with seven RBIs. One of those runs driven in gave Louisville a 3-2 lead with the Cards' backs against the wall in Game 2 of the College Station Super Regional.

Payton has proven he can consistently produce at the heart of a dangerous lineup that averaged 8.6 runs per game. Now, he needs to spend the summer launching balls over the fence. The sophomore went yard only four times in 2022, and the Cards are likely losing their top five sluggers, who combined to hit 78 homers.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville baseball: These players will be key for Cardinals in 2023