TicketsBearcats Host Xavier Tonight
UC looking for fourth straight win over Muskies
Contact: Shawn Sell
5/11/2005
Jim Olds has hit in five straight games for the Bearcats. |
SETTING THE SCENE: For the final time in 2005, Cincinnati and Xavier will meet on the diamond, with the contest set to go tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the UC Baseball Stadium. The Bearcats have won both of the previous meetings between the crosstown rivals this season and three straight overall. The Bearcats enter the night 21-26 overall after last night?s 5-2 defeat to Miami. Xavier is 18-30 after last night?s 14-9 loss at Ball State.
ABOUT XAVIER: The Musketeers have dropped three in a row, including two over the weekend to Atlantic-10 Conference rival George Washington to fall to 18-30 on the year. UC and Xavier have met twice this year, with the Bearcats taking a 6-0 win on March 13 and a 10-5 victory on April 13. Sean Brewer is XU?s top hitter this season, batting at a .380 clip. Jay Johnson, who was enjoyed an outstanding four-year career at Xavier, is hitting .343 with a team-leading five home runs and 33 RBI. On the mound, Xavier will start Mike Creevy tonight, who has also pitched in both of the previous contests between the teams this season. Creevy has appeared in 18 games this year, with 10 starts and two complete games. The sophomore holds a 4-5 record and a 4.09 ERA. Bill Konecny has also been solid for Xavier, winning a team-leading five games, while splitting time between starting and relieving.
PLAYING ?EM TIGHT: UC has shown improvement in close games this year, as they are 9-9 in games decided by two runs or less. The Bearcats were just 5-10 in those games last year.
UC AGAINST THE ATLANTIC 10: Cincinnati has played just three current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 1958 in a total of 196 games. The Bearcats hold a record of 127-68-1 (.651) against the A-10, including a 60-36-1 mark against Xavier. UC has also faced Dayton (65-32) and Duquense (2-0). After playing Dayton at least once in each of the last 13 seasons, Xavier is the only A-10 member the Bearcats are scheduled to face this season.
LAST TIME OUT: Miami?s Matt Erwood limited Cincinnati to two hits over six innings, leading the RedHawks to a 5-2 win over the Bearcats on Tuesday night in the UC Baseball Stadium. The contest was the opener of back-to-back rivalry games for the Bearcats which will host Xavier on Wednesday night. Erwood allowed just an RBI double by Logan Parker in the fourth inning, as he improved to 5-1 on the season. Justin Minges (1-5) got off to a rocky start on the mound for the Bearcats, but allowed just four runs in 5.1 innings of work. Miami is now 32-13 on the year, while the Bearcats are 21-26. Parker collected two of the Bearcats? five hits on the night, including his team-leading 15th double of the year. John Slone had three hits for Miami, while Jon Franzese had two hits and two RBI.
POWER OUTAGE: While the Bearcats have enjoyed the many luxuries that the UC Baseball Stadium brings, one thing that hasn?t been so friendly to the squad this year is home run capability. Of UC?s 30 home runs this season, just seven have been hit at home. In the same 24-game span, Bearcat opponents have belted 14 homers in the stadium.
WELCOME ADDITIONS: The Bearcats have enjoyed the contributions of newcomers Mark Haske, LaFringe Hayes and Logan Parker as the trio have been mainstays in the line-up. As a group, the threesome is batting .316, with 112 runs, 32 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 85 RBI and 18 stolen bases.