Ege, Green, Kiekhefer and Koch Headline 2017 Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank
November 11, 2016 | Baseball
Annual event scheduled for Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m., ET Louisville Marriott Downtown
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville baseball alumni Cody Ege, Chad Green, Dean Kiekhefer and Matt Koch will be the featured guests at the 2017 Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank on Friday, Jan. 27 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Each of the four former Cardinals made their Major League Baseball debuts in 2016 providing a unique and entertaining backdrop for this year's edition of the Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner as fans join the players in reflecting on their professional and collegiate memories.
The annual dinner is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., ET in the Grand Ballroom at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Tickets for the Leadoff Dinner are $60 each and can be purchased online here. Tables of 10 for the event are also available for $600. The deadline to register is Jan. 20, 2017, while more information can be obtained by contacting Ronee Baxter at (502) 852-2015 or at ronee@gocards.com.
The quartet of 2017 Leadoff Dinner guests were among seven Louisville baseball alumni to see MLB game action during the 2016 season, highlighted by Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall, who was named to the National League All-Star Team, reached the semifinal round of the Home Run Derby and was a Gold Glove Award finalist. Click here to see the complete list of Cardinals in MLB and MiLB.
CODY EGE
LHP, LOS ANGELES ANGELS
A lefthanded pitcher for the Cardinals from 2011-13, Ege made his MLB debut on April 23, 2016 with the Miami Marlins before closing the season pitching out of the bullpen for the Los Angeles Angels. Ege registered his first career MLB victory on Sept. 23 recording a pair of outs in a scoreless relief appearance in the Angels' road win over the Houston Astros. In 18 appearances on the mound this season, all in relief for both the Angels and Marlins, the Cherokee, Iowa native was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. While at Louisville, he had a 6-2 record with a 2.45 career ERA in 78 total appearances, including a team-high 38 relief outings during the 2013 College World Series season. Ege signed professionally with the Texas Rangers following his junior season after being selected in the 15th round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
CHAD GREEN
RHP, NEW YORK YANKEES
A righthander who pitched for the Cardinals from 2011-13, Green made his MLB debut on May 16, 2016 in a starting role for the New York Yankees. Green earned his first career MLB win on July 3 after striking out eight and allowing just one run on three hits in six innings to lead the Yankees to a road win over the San Diego Padres. Making eight starts and 12 total appearances on the mound this season, including a career-best 11 strikeouts against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 15, Green had a 2-4 record with one save, 4.73 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 45.2 innings. During his career at Louisville, Green was 16-6 with a 2.38 ERA in 61 outings, including 26 starts. After closing his junior season as a Second Team All-Big East selection with a 10-4 record while leading the Cardinals to the College World Series, Green signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers after being selected in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
DEAN KIEKHEFER
LHP, SEATTLE MARINERS
A lefty pitcher for Louisville from 2008-10, Kiekhefer made his MLB debut on May 14, 2016 registering four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief for the St. Louis Cardinals in a road game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kiekhefer, who was acquired by the Seattle Mariners following the season on Nov. 4, made 26 relief appearances for the Cardinals in 2016 finishing with 14 strikeouts in 22.0 innings without posting a decision. During his collegiate career at Louisville, the Oldham County product made 47 appearances on the mound, including 28 starts, finishing with a 10-10 record overall. Following his junior season, which culminated with Louisville earning its first ever national seed, Kiekhefer signed professionally with the St. Louis Cardinals after being selected in the 36th round of the 2010 MLB Draft.
MATT KOCH
RHP, ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
A righthanded pitcher for the Cardinals from 2010-12, Koch made his MLB debut on Sept. 9, 2016 with one inning of shutout relief for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a home game against the San Francisco Giants. After registering his first MLB save with four scoreless innings of relief against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 13, Koch earned his first career victory with a perfect inning out of the bullpen in a win against the Dodgers on Sept. 18. In seven appearances on the mound for Arizona, including two starts, the Cherokee, Iowa native was 1-1 with one save and a 2.00 ERA in 18.0 innings. During his career with the Cardinals, Koch made 49 appearances on the mound, including 17 starts, accumulating a 9-7 record with four saves and a 3.38 ERA. Koch signed professionally with the New York Mets following his junior season after being selected in the third round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE BASEBALL LEADOFF DINNERThe annual dinner is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., ET in the Grand Ballroom at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Tickets for the Leadoff Dinner are $60 each and can be purchased online here. Tables of 10 for the event are also available for $600. The deadline to register is Jan. 20, 2017, while more information can be obtained by contacting Ronee Baxter at (502) 852-2015 or at ronee@gocards.com.
The quartet of 2017 Leadoff Dinner guests were among seven Louisville baseball alumni to see MLB game action during the 2016 season, highlighted by Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall, who was named to the National League All-Star Team, reached the semifinal round of the Home Run Derby and was a Gold Glove Award finalist. Click here to see the complete list of Cardinals in MLB and MiLB.
CODY EGE
LHP, LOS ANGELES ANGELS
A lefthanded pitcher for the Cardinals from 2011-13, Ege made his MLB debut on April 23, 2016 with the Miami Marlins before closing the season pitching out of the bullpen for the Los Angeles Angels. Ege registered his first career MLB victory on Sept. 23 recording a pair of outs in a scoreless relief appearance in the Angels' road win over the Houston Astros. In 18 appearances on the mound this season, all in relief for both the Angels and Marlins, the Cherokee, Iowa native was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. While at Louisville, he had a 6-2 record with a 2.45 career ERA in 78 total appearances, including a team-high 38 relief outings during the 2013 College World Series season. Ege signed professionally with the Texas Rangers following his junior season after being selected in the 15th round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
CHAD GREEN
RHP, NEW YORK YANKEES
A righthander who pitched for the Cardinals from 2011-13, Green made his MLB debut on May 16, 2016 in a starting role for the New York Yankees. Green earned his first career MLB win on July 3 after striking out eight and allowing just one run on three hits in six innings to lead the Yankees to a road win over the San Diego Padres. Making eight starts and 12 total appearances on the mound this season, including a career-best 11 strikeouts against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 15, Green had a 2-4 record with one save, 4.73 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 45.2 innings. During his career at Louisville, Green was 16-6 with a 2.38 ERA in 61 outings, including 26 starts. After closing his junior season as a Second Team All-Big East selection with a 10-4 record while leading the Cardinals to the College World Series, Green signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers after being selected in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
DEAN KIEKHEFER
LHP, SEATTLE MARINERS
A lefty pitcher for Louisville from 2008-10, Kiekhefer made his MLB debut on May 14, 2016 registering four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief for the St. Louis Cardinals in a road game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kiekhefer, who was acquired by the Seattle Mariners following the season on Nov. 4, made 26 relief appearances for the Cardinals in 2016 finishing with 14 strikeouts in 22.0 innings without posting a decision. During his collegiate career at Louisville, the Oldham County product made 47 appearances on the mound, including 28 starts, finishing with a 10-10 record overall. Following his junior season, which culminated with Louisville earning its first ever national seed, Kiekhefer signed professionally with the St. Louis Cardinals after being selected in the 36th round of the 2010 MLB Draft.
MATT KOCH
RHP, ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
A righthanded pitcher for the Cardinals from 2010-12, Koch made his MLB debut on Sept. 9, 2016 with one inning of shutout relief for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a home game against the San Francisco Giants. After registering his first MLB save with four scoreless innings of relief against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 13, Koch earned his first career victory with a perfect inning out of the bullpen in a win against the Dodgers on Sept. 18. In seven appearances on the mound for Arizona, including two starts, the Cherokee, Iowa native was 1-1 with one save and a 2.00 ERA in 18.0 innings. During his career with the Cardinals, Koch made 49 appearances on the mound, including 17 starts, accumulating a 9-7 record with four saves and a 3.38 ERA. Koch signed professionally with the New York Mets following his junior season after being selected in the third round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
Since its debut in 1996, the Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner helps launch the baseball season by bringing some of the biggest names in the game to the Derby City. Last year's event was headlined by Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, while other previous featured guests have included Adam Duvall, Josh Hamilton, Andy Pettitte, Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Alex Rodriguez, Tino Martinez, Scott Rolen, Tommy Lasorda, Chris Coghlan, Jeff Francoeur, Sean Green, Nick Swisher, Adam Wainwright, Chris Burke, Chris Dominguez, Justin Marks, Trystan Magnuson, Zack Cozart, B.J. Rosenberg and Rick Sweet.
The 2017 Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank will be the 11th under the guidance of head coach Dan McDonnell, who has placed the Cardinals among the nation's elite programs with three College World Series berths, six NCAA Super Regional appearances, nine NCAA Regional bids, seven regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles, 29 All-Americans and 456 wins overall in his 10 seasons.
LOUISVILLE BASEBALL IN 2017
The Cardinals return a trio of All-Americans and 19 total letterwinners for 2017 from last year's team, which won its second straight ACC Atlantic Division championship, advanced to its fourth straight NCAA Super Regional and reached the 50-win plateau for the fourth time in school history. Two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-American Brendan McKay returns for his junior season after finishing with a 12-4 record, 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts on the mound and a .333 batting average, six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate last season.
Junior righthander Kade McClure, an All-American selection by the NCBWA and Perfect Game in 2016, is expected to give the Cardinals a 1-2 All-American punch in their weekend rotation after closing his sophomore season with a 12-0 record, 2.54 ERA and 77 strikeouts 13 starts and 15 total appearances. Joining McKay in the Louisville lineup is junior shortstop Devin Hairston, who hit .361 with three home runs, 16 doubles and 45 RBI while earning ABCA Third Team All-America honors last season.
FOLLOWING THE CARDINALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
