TicketsFeb. 8, 2006
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SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati opens its 2006 baseball season this weekend, facing top-ranked Florida in a three-game series. The Gators, last season's National runners-up, ascended to the No. 1 position in the latest polls released this week. Action begins from UF's McKethan Stadium at Perry Field on Friday (Feb. 10) with a 6:30 first pitch. The series continues on Saturday at 4 p.m., before concluding at Noon on Sunday.
NOTING THE BEARCATS:
The Bearcats welcome back 16 letterwinners from last season's squad that finished 25-30. UC went 10-19, placing 10th in its final Conference USA campaign.
UC's batting order features five of the top six hitters from last year's team. LaFringe Hayes led the team at .343, while Logan Parker ranked third at .313 and led the team with 11 home runs and 53 RBI.
Cincinnati's starting rotation for the weekend, freshman Steve Blevins and juniors Kyle Rapp and Glen Simon, will all be making their UC debuts. Simon will be making the sixth start of his collegiate career after earning five in 2003 at Florida State.
In its first season of BIG EAST play, the Bearcats were picked to finish 10th in the coaches' preseason poll. Notre Dame is picked to take the top spot.
Among the list of six returning pitchers is Sean Munninghoff. After starting 10 games last year, the sophomore will be used in relief this year.
NOTING THE GATORS:
The Gators were 48-23 last season, falling to Texas in the finals of the College World Series. Florida has 24 letterwinners back from that squad.
Florida is ranked No. 1 in all but one of the four major polls. Baseball America lists the Gators second, behind Clemson.
The Gators were chosen by the SEC coaches to win the conference for the second straight year, obtaining eight of the possible 13 votes.
Junior 1B Matt LaPorta is a preseason first team All-American selection according to Collegiate Baseball. LaPorta hit .328 last year with 26 homers and 79 RBI.
Collegiate Baseball tabbed senior RHP Darren O'Day as a third team All-American prior to the season. O'Day appeared in 34 games in 2005 with eight wins, seven saves and a 2.87 ERA.
UC AGAINST THE SEC: Cincinnati has played 102 games against current members of the Southeastern Conference since 1958, with Kentucky (9-27) and South Carolina (12-26) being the most frequent opponents. The Bearcats hold a record of 24-78 (.235) against members of the SEC, but have never played Florida. Other SEC teams the Bearcats have played against include Alabama (0-3), Auburn (0-1), Tennessee (2-12) and Vanderbilt (1-9). In addition to this weekend's series at Florida, UC is also scheduled to play SEC member Kentucky during the 2006 season.
START OF SOMETHING NEW: The Bearcats move to the BIG EAST this season marks the opening to UC's sixth conference affiliation since 1949. The move is also noteworthy for UC senior OF LaFringe Hayes. A transfer from the University of Oklahoma (a member of the Big 12) prior to last season, Hayes will be playing in his third Division I Conference in three years.
Conference Inaugural Game Result
Mid-American April 19, 1948 at Miami (OH) Miami (OH) 14, UC 6
Missouri Valley April 26, 1957 at UC UC 9, Bradley 8
Metro May 14, 1976 at Memphis Tulane 4, UC 1
Great Midwest April 4, 1992 at Saint Louis UC 4, Saint Louis 3
Conference USA March 29, 1996 at UAB UAB 4, UC 2
BIG EAST March 24, 2006 at Connecticut TBA
MUSCENTI WINNER OF STEPHENS AWARD: Senior 2B Mark Muscenti received one of the UC Athletic Department's highest honors at halftime of the Feb. 6 men's basketball game when he was announced as the 2006 winner of the Jean Stephens Memorial Award. Named in honor of the former Athletic Department employee, the Stephens Award honors one senior student-athlete each year that exemplifies excellence on and off the field. Muscenti was nominated for the award by UC head coach Brian Cleary.
BEARCATS 10TH IN BIG EAST POLL: In its first season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference, the Bearcats have been tabbed to finish 10th in a poll of the league's 12 coaches. Notre Dame, the defending champions of the conference tournament, were the overwhelming favorites to win the 2006 title. The Fighting Irish picked up a total of nine first place votes, finishing with a total of 117 points. Pittsburgh picked up two first place nods, taking second in the rankings with 103 tallies. Villanova, chosen in a tie for seventh, earned the last first place marker.
FRESH FACES: The Bearcat roster features 12 new faces this season and nowhere will the affects be felt greater than in the starting pitching rotation. UC's three starters for the opening weekend at Florida, freshman Steve Blevins and juniors Kyle Rapp and Glen Simon have a combined five Division I starts between them, but none at Cincinnati. Simon, a transfer from Florida State, started five times for the Seminoles as a freshman in 2003. Gone from the fold are two of the three hurlers that started games in UC's 2005 season opening series at Florida Atlantic. Tony Maynard and Jim Olds both graduated, while the third member of the group, Kevin Schrader, will start 2006 in the bullpen.
UNFAMILIAR FOES: The start to the 2006 season marks the dawning of many new rivals for the Bearcats, as the squad will face 11 first time opponents. In addition to six members of the BIG EAST, five of Cincinnati's first seven non-conference opponents are new. In conference play, UC will face Connecticut, Georgetown, Rutgers, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova for the first time. West Virginia, along with Conference USA defectees Lousville and USF are the only BIG EAST on the Bearcats' 2006 docket to battle UC prior to this year. On the non-conference side of the slate, UC will battle Florida, High Point, Niagara, North Carolina A&T and Oakland for the first time in 2006.
HIGH ON HAYES: One of the Bearcats pivotal to UC's success in 2006 is senior OF and lead-off hitter LaFringe Hayes. After joining the Bearcats prior to last season, Hayes went on to lead the team in hitting (.343), triples (seven) and stolen bases (14). With the graduation of second-leading hitter and regular No. 2 batter Mark Haske, Hayes' speed at the top of the line-up will be even more important in 2006. Hayes' 14 stolen bases last year were the most by a UC player since Justin Niefer swiped 15 bags in 2003, while the seven triples tied for the second highest performance in school history.
WHO WILL PLAY?: Entering this season, the Bearcats have three holes to fill in their defense, including one each in the infield and outfield. The infield opening is at shortstop, where Mark Haske, drafted in 23rd round of last June's Major League Draft, is gone. A pair of true freshmen, Josh Harrison and Adam Yeager, will be battling for the job. Harrison is also in the mix to start in right field after the graduation of Erik Eitel and the transfer of Brian Beltz. Kyle Rapp and Adam Calez will also battle for time in right when not pitching. The remaining slot to fill is at catcher, where Nick Maragas is the top choice to replace the graduated Jim Olds.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS: Last season, the Bearcats starting infield was the same for all 55 games, as the iron man foursome of Logan Parker (1B), Mark Muscenti (2B), Jon DeLuca (3B) and Mark Haske (SS) held down their respective positions. The continuity paid off as the Bearcats were fourth nationally in double plays per game (1.25) and 15th in fielding percentage (.972). That experience should carry over into this season, as minus the drafted Haske, the returning infielders have a combined 347 games of starting experience.
BUCKEYE STRENGTH: The Bearcats will try to continue there recent success against in-state rivals in 2006, with 10 games against Ohio schools scheduled. Last year, UC posted an 8-4 mark against in-state foes and have won 12 of its last 17 games against Ohio adversaries, including four straight against Xavier.
FULLY STOCKED: Cincinnati's offense should be fully stocked this year as much of last year's firepower is back this season. The 10 returning players that took at least one at-bat last season combined to hit .282 for the year. A look at the other key offensive numbers:
71 percent of the runs scored returns, including LaFringe Hayes, second on the team with 44.
80 percent of the doubles are back, with Logan Parker's team-leading 20 topping the charts.
78 percent of the triples is active in 2006, including Hayes' seven.
80 percent of the home runs and 75 percent of the RBI will play, led by Parker's 11 and 53, respectively.
PLAYING `EM TIGHT: Improved performance in close games helped UC better its win total by 10 in 2005, as the Bearcats finished the year with a record of 10-10 in games decided by two runs or less. The Bearcats were just 5-10 in those games in 2004 and 5-17 in 2003.
KEEPING IT GOING: Cincinnati will hope that Logan Parker can continue the hot streak that he ended the 2005 season on. Over the final 17 games of the year, Parker hit at a .420 clip, with 17 runs scored, eight doubles, a triple, six home runs and 27 RBI. Parker recorded at least one hit in 14 of the 17 contests, including eight straight, to raise his batting average from .271 to .313. In the last 10 games of the season, Parker recorded at least one RBI in eight of the contests and had at least one extra-base hit in seven.
HANDLING THE HOT CORNER: Jon DeLuca was rock solid at third base for the Bearcats in 2005, both at the plate and in the field. At the dish, DeLuca hit a career-high .276 and was second on the team with 37 RBI, which is also a career-best. DeLuca made the most of his opportunities, hitting .324 with runners in scoring position. He also ably manned the hot corner, committing just seven errors in 55 games, while making numerous spectacular plays.
UNDER THE RADAR: Throughout his career, senior 2B Mark Muscenti has flown under the radar, but he has proven to be one of the most valuable members of the Bearcat roster. About to enter his fourth year starting at second base, Muscenti has gradually improved at the plate throughout his career, enjoying a personal best campaign in 2005. For the year, Muscenti hit a career-high .289, while also posting career-highs in doubles (13) and RBI. Always a steady fielder, Muscenti has a career fielding percentage of .971 in 157 games.