BY STEVE KRAH
When last seen on the mound for the University of Louisville, Tucker Biven was walking off after shutting the door on the Hurricanes to clinch an Atlantic Coast Conference series win and you could see it on his face.
“My emotions just came out in the end,” says Biven.
The Cardinals triumphed 6-5 in 10 innings Saturday, April 20 at the University of Miami’s Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Fla.
Biven, a sophomore right-hander from New Albany, Ind., tossed a scoreless ninth and 10th inning with two strikeouts and moved to 3-0 on the 2024 season.
Two singles to open the Miami 10th was followed by a U of L double play then a game-clinching strikeout from Biven. He fired a first-pitch strike to a right-handed batter then came back from a 3-1 count to strike him out, with the the last pitch being a sinker in.
“In ACC play I’ve been throwing a lot of sinkers in and sliders away,” says Biven. “They mix well.”
The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder also uses a curveball, change-up and four-seam fastball from an arm slot just above three-quarter.
His four-seamer has gone as high as 96 mph. His sinker generally travels at 91 to 94.
Biven has made 15 mound appearances in 2024 (all in relief) and is 3-0 (with wins vs. Bellarmine, Wake Forest and Miami), four saves (against Florida State, North Carolina State twice and Miami), 1.96 earned run average, 29 strikeouts and six walks in 23 innings.
Opponents are hitting .209 against him and his longest stint was 3 1/3 innings March 23 against Wake Forest when he recorded a season-best five strikeouts.
Biven has finished in more than half his games.
“We don’t really have roles at the beginning of the season,” says Biven. “We figure out who’s best in which situation.
“When everything’s on you and you need to get outs at the end of the game, I kind of like that role.”
A two-time Class 4A all-stater and rated as the No. 1 shortstop and No. 3 overall player in Indiana and the No. 18 shortstop in the nation by Perfect Game, Biven from went New Albany High School to Louisville as a two-way player. He was in the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Marion.
In 2023, he went 2-of-6 at the plate and pitched 20 times (16 out of the bullpen) and was 0-2 with a 4.81 ERA, 26 strikeouts and 21 walks in 33 2/3 innings.
In the summer, Biven got into two games (3 1/3 innings) with the Cape Cod League’s Falmouth Commodores and came home after a minor injury cropped up.
“Last fall I decided I just want to focus on pitching, get better at my craft, try to get as good as I can and help this team win,” says Biven. “I felt like that was the best option for me.”
Plans call for Biven to go back to Cape Cod this summer with the Orleans Firebirds.
But first there’s business to attend with the Louisville Cardinals (24-16, 9-9).
After a non-conference win Tuesday, April 23 against Western Kentucky at Jim Patterson Stadium in which Biven did not pitch, U of L hosts a three-game series Friday through Sunday, April 26-28 against ACC Atlantic Division leader Clemson.
Dan McDonnell is in his 18th season as Louisville’s head coach.
When describing what he wants from his athletes, including Biven, McDonnell uses words like tough, athletic, strong, durable and versatlie.
Biven says players need to buy into the team culture being built by the coach.
“That should all be routine for everyone — be in-touch with the process, go out and play as hard as you can,” says Biven.
Roger Williams is in his 18th season as the Cardinals pitching coach and 10th as associate head coach.
“He’s calmer with a lower tone of voice than Coach Mac,” says Biven of Williams. “He doesn’t just want to hear you say it, but wants to see results. He holds us accountable.”
While about 10 miles separate New Albany and the U of L, Biven lives on-campus with teammates.
A Sport Administration major, Biven sees himself serving someday as a college baseball coach and/or an athletic director or director of operations following his playing career. He becomes eligible for the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in 2025.
Biven got his baseball start in New Albany Little League and was in travel ball with the Ironmen and Canes Midwest (15U to 17U).
Biven was a four-year varsity player in baseball and basketball at New Albany, where he graduated in 2022.
His head coaches — Chris McIntyre on the diamond and Jim Shannon on the hardwood — had long, successful careers.
McIntyre is in the IHSBCA Hall of Fame with nearly 600 victories.
“He’s a dude that’s going to hold you accountable,” says Biven of McIntyre. “You do stuff the right way. He’ll teach you the game and how to be a man in life.”
Shannon’s resume includes more than 600 wins and a state championship.
“It was a pleasure to play for him,” says Biven of Shannon. “He’s going to discipline you. He’s going to get on you. He wants the best from you.”
Josh and Jessica Biven are the parents of two sons — Cooper (22) and Tucker (20).
Josh Biven, a retired Louisville firefighter, played college baseball at Louisville, Campbellsville and Indiana University Southeast.
Jessica Biven is co-owner of a financial advisors firm.
Cooper Biven (New Albany Class of 2020) played baseball briefly at Kentucky Wesleyan College and now owns a landscaping business.
In a family of St. Louis Cardinals fans, Tucker also pulls for that MLB team. His favorite athlete is Kobe Bryant.
“It’s because of his work ethic and his (Mamba) Mentality,” says Biven. “I also liked to wear his shoes growing up.”
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